Thalia Grace & the Olympians: The Sea of Monsters
by LubthaNiBriste
Summary: - Sequel to Thalia Grace & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief - Thalia hasn't had the best non-birthday. The only thing she has to look forward to is spending Spring Break at Camp Half-Blood. But when her father arrives with even more depressing news, she is thrown into yet another dangerous quest, with none other than Percy Jackson to accompany her once again. -Perlia-
1. Prologue

**A/N: Fairly short, yes. But, this is only the prologue. The actual first chapter will be much longer. I decided to write this up, so many of you will not have to wait very long for at least, you know, _something. _As I still do not know if I am receiving the files off of my laptop any time soon, I figured I might as well go on and post something in relation to the story. Confusing topics in this will be discussed and explained later on, but questions are always welcomed. **

**For any new readers, if there are any, I would highly suggest that Thalia Grace & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief be read before viewing this.**

**Anyway, please feel free to review and provide feedback. I hope you all enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: I didn't own the Lightning Thief, and I do not own the Sea of Monsters, either. All credit to PJO goes to Rick Riordan.**

* * *

**Prologue**

Black ink dictated most of the olive-skinned wrist. The dark-haired girl eyed her reflection tempestuously, finding herself unable to adapt to her recently received _brand_. The form of a majestic, landing eagle rested just above the inside of her wrist, about the size of a vertical index card. Her slightly calloused fingers ran the short length of it, and she bit her lip to keep from wincing. The raven-haired demigoddess was infuriated, to word it simply. Her nostrils flared as her mind recalled earlier events.

She had been calmly walking the streets of Boston, merely sightseeing, when the bane of her existence decided to pop in for a rather insufferable visit. Hera, Queen of the Gods and wife of Zeus, had rambled off about something or other before gripping onto her wrist without restraint and marking her. To make matters severely worse, the teenager's father had show up shortly afterwards to apologize for the _inconvenience_, and to give her a long talk about her recent "turning of age." Of course, she hadn't even aged at all.

Long story short, Thalia Grace was having the worse "birthday" fathomable.

The punk daughter of Zeus had always been a fan of tattoos, and had planned on getting some when she was of age; however, Hera branding her with the symbol of her father wasn't exactly what she had been hoping for. She had just turned sixteen, and she had already gotten a tattoo, so to speak. Why did she even need one? What was Hera's demented purpose for plaguing her with a permanent image? Her aunt was going to murder her.

Unfortunately, due to her Brooklyn apartment being spontaneously torched by some freak occurrence, Thalia had found herself homeless shortly after summer had ended. Rather than mooch off her father again, she attempted to earn her own money and save up to buy a place of her own. But, because teenage girls were usually turned to Child Services when they were found living on their own, she had been forced to relent in her efforts to provide for herself.

Luckily, after weeks of searching, she managed to locate close relatives. Her mother's sister, Amy Grace, dwelled in a homely neighborhood in East Boston, and had been more than willing to take her in when she learned of her misfortunes. Amy was like that—considerate of others. The daughter of Zeus didn't see how the angelic woman could be related to someone like her mother.

Thalia had never been close with any of her relatives. As a child, she had been kept away from her family members, with the exception of her favorite aunt. When her mother had announced to her parents that she was pregnant with an illegitimate child, everyone but Amy had disowned her. The brunette didn't remember ever meeting her grandparents, but her mom used to rant about how adorable her grandfather's accent was.

Thalia's grandparents, Seamus and Abigail Grace, had left the area of Ceanannas Mór, Ireland and settled down in East Boston. Most of the daughter of Zeus' family continued to live in the city, although none of them were nearly as friendly as Amy. Thankfully, the demigoddess never had to run into her other relatives. Her aunt distanced herself from the family, just as her mother had done.

To her credit, Amy wasn't a train wreck like everyone else in the Grace family. She was definitely the most stable sibling. The blonde generously raised her five children, and had never been involved in any illegal activity. The woman had a clean slate, figurtively speaking. Even though this fact should've soothed Thalia and set her at ease, she couldn't help but feel suspcious. No one was so selflessly charitable. No one could be that pure-hearted. Her adventures while on the run had proved that time and time again.

Thalia sighed, turning the sink faucet on. The water was chilling, but she could care less. If she was stuck walking around with a shoddy tattoo on her arm, there was no way she would do so with blood pouring from it like some kind of twisted waterfall. She might as well make herself presentable. Her aunt and cousins had suddenly decided to take her out to eat on her birthday.

"_You only turn sixteen once, Thalia!" Amy had exclaimed._

Unfortunately for her, she hadn't even turned sixteen yet.

Although every droplet cooled the plain of her arm, the mark continued to burn. After rinsing all of the crimson substance off, she gingerly grabbed a rag from the medicine cabinet and dried her arm. The demigoddess was more anxious than a whore in church. Her hands were shaking pathetically. She hadn't celebrated a birthday since…since Jason had turned two. The party had been miniscule, only involving the two of them. Their mother had been out dancing in some sleazy club and left them to their own devices.

Thalia took a while to warm up to people, even if they were related by blood. She wasn't completely comfortable around her cousins, and she didn't want to sabotage their positive opinions of her. Because she was their eldest cousin alive, they all looked up to her and expected her to be some kind of saint.

Hurriedly, she grabbed her tube of spiking gel from the counter and squirted some of the substance into the palm of her hand. After rubbing her hands together, she ran them through her unruly black hair. Thankfully, with Amy to supervise her, she received regular haircuts. When her hair looked halfway decent, she opened the door to the bathroom and leaned her head out.

"Connie!" she yelled, calling her twelve-year-old cousin. "Where are the gauzes?"

A pretty blue-eyed blonde appeared in the hallway and slowly walked over to the door. Attempting to stick her head in, and frowning when she found herself pushed back by Thalia, she groaned aloud. "Come on, Thals. Let me in."

"Nope," the daughter of Zeus answered briskly. "Gauzes?" She raised a dark brow expectantly.

"I'll be right back," the blonde grumbled, spinning sassily on her heel and strutting into another room.

Connie and Calliope, the toddler of the family, were Thalia's favorites of her cousins, even though she wouldn't dare admit it aloud. Calliope, who also shared the name of a Muse (which the brunette found kind of strange), was nearing her third birthday. She had grown on the daughter of Zeus more so than anyone else in the two-storey house. All the little girl had to do was bat those long, golden eyelashes and Thalia would sell her soul.

The blonde appeared in the doorway again. She handed Thalia a first-aid kit, not even noticing the tattoo the older girl was hardly trying to hide.

"Here," she said, smiling a little. Her teeth were near perfect, aligned straight and gleaming blindingly. "Are you okay? Did you hurt yourself?"

The geniune concern was enough to make the taller girl grin.

"Yeah," she lied easily. Even though it churned her stomach to lie to her cousin, she didn't trust any of them enough to reveal the truth. "Basketball incident," she supplied. "I'm fine, though."

"Basketball?" Connie asked. Eventually, she rolled her eyes. "Oh, yeah. Silly me. I forgot for a second there. You played with Cory, didn't you?"

Cory was the eldest of Amy's children, a strapping fourteen years of age. Thalia wasn't particularly close with him, but he was the only kid in the house that shared similar interests with her. He didn't listen to punk rock music or anything, but he enjoyed playing sports.

"Bet you won," Con boasted. "I was rooting for you. I mean, how can you not win? You're like 6 '5."

"I'm exactly 6," Thalia argued, slightly defensive. It wasn't her fault she was freakishly tall for her age. Amy and her children were all of average height—the lucky bastards. Smirking, she ran a hand through her hair once more. "But, yes. I won, of course. Now, get out of here."

Connie frowned, but shut the bathroom door and headed off to her respective bedroom. Thalia roomed with Calliope, and she couldn't have been happier with the arrangement. She wasn't bothered when the toddler woke up in the middle of the night and couldn't get back to sleep. The brunette, having previous experience, was usually able to get the kid back to bed.

The daughter of Zeus reached into the first-aid kit and pulled out a roll of sterile adhesive gauze. Wrapping some firmly around the mark on her wrist, she tore it from the roll and secured it to her skin with medical tape. Satisfied that she wasn't able to make out anything beneath the bandage, she placed the gauze back into the kit and locked it shut.

She leaned down and tucked the kit in the cabinet beneath the sink, knowing that Amy didn't really care where it was placed. Taking one last look at her reflection, she fixed the hem of her faded band tee and stuffed her hands into the pockets of her leather pants. Amy had kindly bought her new clothes. Thalia, unwilling to freeload off of the woman, worked off her fees by doing chores around the house and booked a part-time job at some diner up the street.

Exiting the bathroom, she nearly ran into her cousin Rayanne. The grunge-obsessed preteen had the audacity to shoot her the infamous one-finger salute, and Thalia scoffed. The dirty-blonde thought she was hardcore, and it was frankly becoming obnoxious. Rayanne wasn't usually very rude to her (at least, not directly), but it didn't take her by surprise whenever the young girl behaved inappropriately.

"Get ready, birthday girl," Rayanne said, smacking her gum grotesquely. "Mom is waiting in the car, so I suggest you hurry."

Before the daughter of Zeus could dare respond, the preteen shoved earphones into her ears and blared her music obscenely before walking away. Rolling her blue eyes, Thalia made the short journey to her room and tossed on her black leather jacket. She rarely ever wore the jacket her father had given her months ago. There was no use for it as of late. Strangely, she hadn't encountered any monsters. Besides, the brown flight jacket didn't match anything she owned.

Thalia walked over to Calliope's small bed and shook the little girl awake. "Callie," she said, laughing. "Your ma got you up an hour ago. You're supposed to be ready by now."

"I'm not going," the little girl mumbled, burrying her head further in the pillow.

Thalia sighed, nearly relenting. But she was a child of Zeus, and they never went down without a fight. The brunette sat down on the edge of the bed and ran a soothing hand through the toddler's locks. The young girl groaned, but eventually lifted her head up.

"You ain't gonna trick me into going!" she exclaimed, her full ruby lips protruding in an adorable pout.

Thalia grinned crookedly. "Is that so?" she asked, pretending to be surprised. "Well, I guess I'll have to eat my birthday ice cream all by myself…"

Calliope sat up completely, her Disney princess night gown riding up with the motion. She crossed her pale arms over her chest. "No fair!"

"Yes fair," the daughter of Zeus mocked. "Only big girls who get out of bed get to have birthday ice cream. I really wish you could come to the dinner, Cal, but if you don't want to, I completely understand…"

"Stop doing that!" Calliope griped. "I'll go."

Thalia flashed a wolfish smile. "Glad to have ya on board, kid."

She stood from the bed, causing her back to crack. The toddler giggled, before roughly poking her spine. The daughter of Zeus spun around, taking the younger girl by surprise, and hefted her over a shoulder. Calliope fought against her hold, laughing excitedly and probably bruising her back with wild punches. Choosing not to show her pain, Thalia smacked the girl on the bottom and carried her over to the dresser.

"What do you want to wear?" she asked Calliope.

The blonde set a finger on her lip and appeared to be thinking deeply. "Um…" she mumbled. Her teal eyes caught sight of Thalia's outfit and she gasped, pointing at her older cousin. "Your clothes!"

The tall teenager chuckled, shaking her head. "I don't think so," she responded. "Your mother would kill me."

Ten minutes had passed in the time it took for the daughter of Zeus to help Calliope get ready, and Amy had begun to honk the horn of her Dodge Journey rather impatiently. The brunette ushered her younger cousin out of the bedroom, remembering to grab any cash she had and lock the doors behind them. The two of them rushed to the vehicle, where Thalia's aunt was sticking her head out of the window.

Her aunt was usually a compassionate individual, but she was easily frustrated when forced to wait on someone else.

"Get in already!" Amy called out. "You get to ride bitch seat tonight, Peter the Great," she added, making sure to use Thalia's nickname. Her cousins thought it was a hilarious nickname, and they joked that she would be as tall as he was infamous of being.

A fun fact about Grace women: they cursed like sailors.

She had the honor of "riding bitch seat," which meant that she would be sitting in between Calliope and the second youngest, Autumn. Autumn, a shy brunette, never really bothered Thalia; however, according to the rest of the family, she was prone to becoming obnoxious while traveling, and they usually pulled straws to gamble whom would wind up sitting next to her.

After strapping Calliope into her booster seat, Thalia walked around the other side of the vehicle for Autumn to let her in. Corey, who had gone over to a friend's, wasn't riding with them, so no one resulted to sitting in the trunk.

Once in the restaurant, they were eventually led to a table that could fit all of them. Calliope, refusing to sit in the "booger" chair—highchair in English—plopped herself down in Thalia's lap. It slightly irritated her, but she dealt with it and allowed the girl to wiggle her bony body every two seconds. Uncomfortable, the brunette reached across the table to pick up a menu.

* * *

It wasn't until they got back home that Thalia noticed the missed call on her cell phone. It wasn't a number she recognized, but she figured that she might as well call and find out who it could be and what they called for.

After tucking Calliope into bed, and informing her aunt that she had to make a call, she stepped out onto the front porch and sat down on the highest step. Digging her cell from the inside of her jacket, she quickly called the number and waited patiently as the line connected. It was a few moments before someone picked up.

"_Hello?" _a familiar voice inquired. His voice was great to hear after so long of a day.

Thalia felt a smile split her lips. "Hey, Percy. It's been a while."

She heard him chuckle over the line—a slightly deeper sound than it had been the summer before. Puberty, she reasoned.

After she had decided to stay at camp during the summer, they had grown impressively close. They had even went on that date they had proposed. Unfortunately, that had been the only date they had went on. They just hadn't made that sort of time for one another, and neither of them had asked the other out again.

Thalia kind of wished she had. She didn't want it to be some kind of quick summer item. But, she still didn't know if she desired an actual relationship with him, either. She had never been in a legitimate relationship before, and if she were honest with herself she would say that her fear was mostly due to her mother's flings. Why would she ever want to feel the way her mother felt? Relationships had sent her headfirst into gin and depression.

"_Sparky!" _he exclaimed joyously. _"How I've missed you! So, hey. I just wanted to call and tell you happy birthday." _Before she could say anything, he cut her off with another laugh. _"Yes, I remember when you said your birthday was."_

"So generous of you," she joked, sending him into laughter again with her horrible proper accent. "Thanks, Jackson. It means a lot. More than anything, it means I'm two years closer to destorying the world as we know it."

Percy snorted. _"Bull! If I don't get there first. Your aging is still wacked up, remember?"_

Thalia had told the son of Poseidon nearly everything about the conversation with her father. She had told him over the course of the summer, of course. She wasn't positive, but she could only assume that her aging was still rather deformed. According to her father, she hadn't even turned sixteen yet—she would next year. But, she had to celebrate her birthday. Amy and her children would get suspcious if she did not.

"Yeah," she admited with a shrug, even though she knew he couldn't see her. "So, anyway. Happy late birthday, I guess. I know we sort of celebrated it early while at camp, but I suppose I should tell you again." Guilt struck her. "After all, I didn't think to get in touch with you in August."

She could practically see him smile over the phone.

"_It's cool, Thalia," _he said casually. _"So, there's something else I wanted to ask you."_

"I'm listening."

"_Are you planning to come to camp?"_

"When, this summer?"

"_No," _he said. _"Over the Spring Break. Camp Half-Blood is welcoming summer goers to stay for a few weeks. I've decided that I'm going."_

His last sentence pretty much made up her mind.

"Of course," she said. "I just have to run it by Amy."

"_Amy?"_

Thalia smirked. "Sorry, I should have explained first. Amy is my aunt. I'm living with her and her kids now."

"_What happened to your apartment? And, I didn't know you had any blood-relative family."_

"I didn't, either. My apartment was burned down." She scoffed bitterly. After the day's earlier events, she wouldn't doubt that Hera herself had caused it.

Percy cleared his throat. _"I'm sorry to hear about that," _he said sincerely. _"You could have lived with my mother and I, you know."_

"I couldn't have done that to you guys, Kelp Head."

"_You wouldn't have been a burden to us, Thalia," _he argued. _"But, okay. I understand. Besides, maybe being around family will turn out to be a good thing for you."_

The daughter of Zeus sighed. "Yeah, maybe." Glancing down at the layer of gauze, she scowled. "So, guess what the hell happened to me?"

Percy stifled another laugh. He had told her that she sounded strange whenever she cursed. _"What would that be?"_

"Hera marked me."

The anger was clear in her voice, and the son of Poseidon instantly sobered up. _"What do you mean, she marked you? Like, with a Sharpie?"_

"No," she remarked. "I mean, like literately _marked _me." She lowered her voice. "I have some kind of eagle thing printed on my arm now."

"_We need to look into this." _The concern was clear in his voice. Percy was nothing if not compassionate. _"During the break, we need to consult Annabeth. She'll probably know what's up." _

Thalia relaxed her angry brows, and firmly pressed her lips together. "Sounds good. I don't know why she did this, or what it's for. My father refused to tell me." She ran a hand through her hair, before remembering she gelled it. With a grimace, she wiped her hand off on the porch railing. "I'll show you it later."

"_You can send me a picture of it, if you'd like," _he offered. _"This is my new cell phone. Just got it a few days ago."_

"You finally got a cell?" she asked, a smile lighting up her face. "Sweet, man. What kind did you get?"

Before she could hear his answer, her cousin Rayanne stormed out onto the porch. "Who you talkin' to?" she demanded, sitting down next to Thalia. "Your boyfriend?"

The daughter of Zeus resisted the urge to snap at the other girl, knowing that she never meant to be so annoying. As she had never mentioned Percy around any of her family members, she knew her cousin was only teasing.

The son of Poseidon huffed indignantly, hearing someone else interrupt. It was enough to rouse a chuckle out of Thalia, but she quickly repressed it when Rayanne glanced over at her curiously. Sighing in irritation, the daughter of Zeus realized that her cousin wasn't walking away any time soon.

"Man, I have to go," she said, much to Percy's apparent disappointment. "I'll give you a call when I'm free, all right?"

"_All right," _Percy agreed, sighing. _"Talk to you later, Thalia."_

"Later."

With a distinct click, the call was ended. Thalia stuffed the phone back in her jacket and turned an unresponsive gaze on Rayanne. The dirty blonde flashed a small smile. No matter how rude the younger girl acted, she treated Thalia a hero. She admired her older cousin's style, and was constantly trying to make time for the two of them to hang together.

Thalia appreciated the gesture, but she was beyond angry at everything that had transpired that long day.

"So," Rayanne began, watching as her older cousin stood from the step. "Who's Mister Dreamy?"

Thalia stormed back to the entrance and slung open to front door, effectively leaving the other girl to her own devices. The daughter of Zeus couldn't wait for Spring Break to come along.


	2. Lamia Gets Burned

**A/N: Sooner than you all thought? With good reason. I didn't think I'd get it done, either. Anyway, I have to leave in literately three minutes, so I'm sorry if there are any mistakes. I didn't have time to read through. If you see any, feel free to tell me so I can correct them as soon as possible. This chapter has a lot of action. What can I say? I was sort of craving it.**

**Disclaimer: Don't own the Sea of Monster, or any other books in the PJO series. Sorry.**

* * *

Demigod dreams were the worst. They were either nightmares or prophetic, and occasionally both. Unfortunately, Thalia was once again having one of _those _dreams.

_Thalia wasn't playing an active role in the dream, she quickly realized. She was watching something take place, acting as a third party. At least, she convinced herself of the fact until she felt an unmistakable pain course through her. One minute, she had been watching the way the dark clouds rolled above a tall, mighty pine tree—her tree; the next, she felt crippled, as if she were being attacked from the inside out. Except, she wasn't even physically present in the dream. _

_ A shadowy figure caught her eye. In a chance ray of moonlight, she managed to catch a glimpse of the person's face. Luke Castellan. What was he doing near the tree? She had no idea what her previous friend was up to, but she somehow knew it was the cause of her pain. It was too dark for her to make out what he was doing, but the longer he stood near her tree the worse the pain became. _

_ She wanted to scream, yell, fight him back, anything, but she found herself unable to do so. Her voice was irrelevant at the moment. Thunder rang across the sky, and the son of Hermes seemed to falter at the sound, glancing around him as if any moment Zeus himself might appear. What was he doing to her pine? More importantly, why did it hurt her? She wasn't the pine. It had solely served as a replacement for her. So, why did she feel as if she were connected to it somehow?_

_ Her view of Luke improved; she felt remarkably closer to what was happening, and it was as if someone had lit a candle. His face was strangely illuminated, his crystal blue eyes trained on whatever was in front of him. The large, menacing scar that ran through most of his face shocked Thalia, and not in a good way. Her Luke…her friend Luke…what had happened to him? _

_ Her eyes followed his gaze, and she swore she could've fainted at the sight. Luminescent fluid—mystical tree sap, she realized—leaked from a gaping hole in the pine's side. The picture itself was somewhat baffling. It appeared as if the tree were almost bleeding. Which, in a way, it kind of was, she surmised. _

_ When she turned back to face the son of Hermes, doubt rose within her. The Luke she had once known wouldn't be smirking smugly at the sight of the damaged tree. Hell, he had hated when she went out to hunt for them. Why would he find such pleasure in stabbing a tree? _

_ She could only guess he had stabbed it. His blade was sunken within the fissure. _

_ Quick as lightning, he yanked the sword back and slipped it back into his scabbard. _

_ The pain suddenly intensified within her belly, and she felt as if she would soon implode. Her mind felt heavier. Her vision of the scene blurred, until she could barely make out his form. She was close to unconsciousness. _

_ Thalia dissipated, her last sights that of Luke's blurry flickering smile. _

Thalia woke up with a jolt, panting wildly, her hand clutching at her sweaty abdomen. Her baby cousin Calliope slumbered peacefully in the bed across the room, her little sighs sounding. The daughter of Zeus groaned aloud, tearing off her now soaked white v-neck. She may have been insanely tired, but she wasn't sleepy enough to try lying in sweaty clothes.

She climbed out of bed and quietly walked over to her dresser, being cautious as to not wake anyone else up. The last time she had woken Connie she had surely regretted it. After sliding off her warm-up pants and replacing them with a pair of black boxer briefs, she searched her closet for a baggy shirt. Finding one she liked, she slid it off the hanger and strung it on.

Thalia glanced back at the sleeping figure of her cousin before sneaking out of the room and silently closing the door behind her. She was extremely thirsty, and she wanted to clear her head before attempting to sleep again. She tiptoed into the kitchen and swiftly opened the fridge, searching for something that caught her interest.

Even though she knew she would get in trouble if Amy caught her, she grabbed a soda from the fridge and tried to suppress the sound as she cracked it open. Despite her ADHD, caffeine usually helped her calm down. If she ever needed to ease her mind, she could just drink coffee or an energy drink and she would be fine.

Thalia rested back against the wooden counter and took a long sip from the can.

Her mind flashed back to the winter, when she had received the symbol of her father on her wrist. She had decided to tell her aunt long before, using the excuse that she had gotten it done before she had known of their existence. Her family had understood, knowing that she had practically came from the streets. Rayanne had thought it was cool, and begged Amy to have one of her own. The woman hadn't liked that idea too much.

Thalia didn't know why Hera had marked her. She didn't know the purpose, and she didn't care to know. She wanted it gone, and her problems with Hera along with it. Ever since the summer had ended, she had received several signs from the goddess of marriage. Abnormal cows would appear out of nowhere, in the middle of the street. It had been raining constantly, no doubt a sign of her father's irritation.

The daughter of Zeus recalled her stepmother's words after she had rescued her from the Underworld.

_"Mark my words, Thalia Grace, I plan to make your world a living hell."_

Well, it was about damn time the goddess started. She had almost forgot all about their heated encounter.

Finishing off her drink, Thalia threw the can away before making her way back into her bedroom. She wouldn't be able to sleep much, she knew. But, that wouldn't stop her from at least trying. Upon entering the bedroom, she crawled beneath her comforter and turned on her side. On second thought, she found that highly uncomfortable. Thalia rolled over onto her back.

There, that was better. Now…if she could just close her eyes long enough to fall asleep again…

Her bedside alarm went off, startling her and causing her to sit rim-rod straight against the headboard. Zeus' gonads, was it already time to get ready for school? She glanced at the clock and groaned aloud, running a hand through her messy hair. 6:15. Her day was going to absolutely suck.

By the time she had gotten dressed in a pair of ripped black jeans, a Ramones shirt, and her combat boots, she was already running late. As she didn't have time to stay and eat breakfast, she quickly kissed Calliope goodbye and hugged Amy before all but running out of the house. Her backpack was relatively light, as she only kept what she required inside.

The bus ride was boring, depressingly so. Thalia almost thanked the gods when she finally arrived in front of the school. _Almost. _She hated Frankfurt Prep, a frequent for the likes of snobby rich kids. That's not to say all wealthy students were snobby, just the ones that she knew.

Thalia rushed to her first period class, eager to get the day over with. Unfortunately, she incidentally ran into the school bully in doing so, causing the bigger girl to tumble to the unforgiving concrete.

Lamella Thompson blew hair out of her face in frustration, and glared up at the taller girl in disgust. "Watch where you're going, freak!" she demanded, standing back on her feet. Her ugly friends laughed alongside her. "Just because you're the Green Giant doesn't mean you can go around knocking into whoever you please!"

Thalia clenched her fists, trying to keep a lid on her anger. She was already at risk of expulsion, and it would absolutely piss Amy off if she got kicked out this late in the school year. She couldn't afford to get into another fight. She just couldn't.

Even though her pride screeched in protest, she sighed in defeat.

"Sorry, Lamella," she said. "It's my fault. I wasn't looking."

"Obviously!" the girl yelled, trying to get up into the other teen's face. "It's about time you learn who's Queen around here, retard."

The daughter of Zeus faltered at the words. Her cheeks flared red despite her better wishes, and she growled menacingly, her eyes sparking a dominant blue. "Oh, Queen? That what everyone's calling you now? Last time I checked, it was bitch."

The chocolate-haired bully snickered, looking Thalia up in down, feigning disinterest. "You, me. Gym. _Now_."

Thalia, although the sane part of her mind screamed against it, smirked and crossed her arms over her chest. "Let's go, then," she said, storming off to the gym.

Lamella followed her, growling in anger at her companions when they asked to join her.

Thalia didn't stop walking until she reached the gym, her boots ringing through the suspiciously quiet hallways. Hadn't they been crowded just a second before? Where had everyone gone? She shook her head. She knew she should have gotten more sleep. Her sluggishness was going to impair her performance throughout the day.

When she got to the huge double doors, she was shocked when her strength wasn't enough to pull them open. Lamella appeared behind her and tugged on them roughly, nearly sending them off of their hinges. The daughter of Zeus gulped; she was seriously beginning to doubt her chances at winning, and she _never _did that.

In the blink of an eye, Lamella had somehow appeared on the opposite side of the dark gym. Thalia blinked owlishly, blaming the occurrence on the fact she hadn't gotten enough sleep the night before. It was really taking its toll on her.

"What are you waiting for?" the demigoddess called out, spreading her arms open. Why hadn't the rude girl approached her yet? "You came here for me to kick your ass, didn't you?"

Lamella tilted her head to the side, smiling cruelly. Sharp fangs glinted unmistakably in the dim lighting, and electric blue eyes widened. Her facial features distorted, eyebrows drawn together irregularly and nose scrunched high. Lamella's skin was now a pasty gray, and her gums grew bright cherry red.

"Not quite," the creature rasped, shooting towards Thalia at an unmatchable speed.

The demigoddess had just enough time to activated Aegis before the strange demon reached her. The creature leaped back at the sight of Medusa, hissing at the brunette wielding it.

Thalia had never seen a monster quite like this one. It almost looked like…like a vampire. But, did those even exist? She had never read of any in Greek mythology, but she knew better than to shoot the theory down that quickly. There were a lot of things in her world that she had yet to learn about. The demon in front of her was obviously one of them.

"Daughter of Zeus," the previous Lamella cackled, hunching over in an animalistic fashion. Thalia watched as it grew long talons from its fingernails, and wrinkled her nose in disgusted fascination. "The ones of old aren't fans of you, and coincidentally, neither am I."

"W—what are you?" Thalia managed to get out, panting from exhaustion. Her lack of sleep was going to be the death of her. She hadn't even begun fighting yet, and she was already close to passing out.

She held her shield strong, her other hand subtly searching for her trusty pocket watch—her sword, Thunderbird. Usually, she wouldn't have hesitated this much. But, this strange creature was certainly foreign to her. She didn't even know if her sword would work!

Resisting the urge to do a little victory dance when she found her weapon, she secretly slipped it out of her pocket. Keeping her eyes on the monster in front of her, she swiftly activated the sword and swung immediately.

The demon was even faster than she, and effortlessly dodged the attack, grasping the weapon in between her menacing claws and flinging it far away from them. Thalia stared wide-eyed as the vampire-like thing fearlessly closed in on her, despite the fact that the head of Medusa was glowing frighteningly.

"I expected more from a child of the most powerful god," the monster mocked, licking her fangs hungrily. "The Ichor flows strong with you, young one. I might just eat every bit of you."

Thalia closed her eyes tightly, pressing herself against the wall. Her weapon was all the way across the room. With the demon's speed, she only had once chance to get it back. She just had to wait until Lamella leaned close enough…

_CLANG!_

Medusa met Lamella head-on—no pun intended—sending the vampire to the ground. The daughter of Zeus wasted no time in sprinting as fast as she could over to her sword, but her speed was no match. The monster rammed into her from the side, sending her body sprawling. The skin above her ribs stung from her recently obtained gash. It looked as if the talons had nicked her. Blood soaked her black shirt, and caused the material to stick to her abdomen.

Aegis transformed back into a bracelet on its own, which desperately angered the demigoddess. She hated when it did that!

Lamella stood hovered above her, and pinned her body down. The daughter of Zeus thrashed in protest, but even her strength didn't match that of the monster. Her mind flashed back to what Chiron had once told her about Herculean strength. It would have come in handy at the time, if she was even illegible to earn it in the first place. She seriously doubted it existed. Her life wasn't a freaking Disney movie.

The vampire settled her fangs on her pulse point, gripping her wrists tight and holding them against the cold gym floor. Just as soon as the monster had pounced on her, it was off. She didn't know what had startled the demon, but it stood ten feet away staring at her in fear. Lamella cradled her—its—hand, and the daughter of Zeus watched on in awe as smoke rose from the burned flesh.

"Hera!" the monster bellowed. "Curses! The bitch has always had it out for me. This isn't supposed to happen."

Thalia crawled to her feet, backing as far away as she could, making sure to snatch Thunderbird off the floor.

Lamella hissed. "What are you? A servant to that bitch? She hates children of Zeus!"

Thalia frowned. What did Hera have to do with anything? "Lamella…what are you—"

"It's Lamia!"

The daughter of Zeus scowled. "_Lamia, _I am not a servant of Hera. I don't even know what you're talking about. What does she have to do with anything?"

"Get away from me!" Lamia snarled, straightening her back and roaring.

Her teeth grew even longer, if possible. Before Thalia could say anything else, the demon suddenly ignited, flames dancing across gray, peeling flesh. It was quite the dreadful sight. The demigoddess thought the creature might possibly charge her again, but to her surprise it ran for the wall and sunk completely through the brick.

The only traces the monster left behind were the bloodstains on the floor, and the gash in her side.

Thalia deactivated her sword and tucked it into her pocket, not a moment too late. The school jerk of a principal, Eddie Packwood, swung open the door to the gym and marched in, several teachers behind him.

His beady eyes caught sight of her, stained with blood, and he stomped his foot in anger. "Young lady!" he screamed, sounding more like a wife from a reality show than a respected disciplinary figure. "In my office, now!"

The daughter of Zeus internally seethed. She was getting blamed for a stupid, runaway monster destroying everything. Figures.

She had been so close to going on Spring Break, and some demon had to come along and ruin it for her. Amy was going to raise hell when the principal called. Thalia sighed. That was one storm she didn't feel like weathering.

* * *

"Why did you do it?" Amy asked as they drove away from the school, fingers tightly gripping the steering wheel. "You had one more day until Spring Break, and you fuckin' blew it."

Thalia crossed her arms over her chest, grumpily sinking down further in her seat. She didn't want to answer her aunt. She knew it would only result in another fight, and that was the last thing she needed right now. The demigoddess just wanted to get home, crawl into bed, and go back to sleep. She didn't feel like facing the rest of the day. Not with her family disappointed in her.

"Well?" her aunt snapped irritably, throwing her a hateful look.

Thalia's mouth tightened in a disgruntled fashion. "I don't know," she mumbled under her breath.

"What?"

"I don't know!"

"Don't raise your voice at me, girl!" Amy angrily shouted.

"You couldn't hear me!"

Amy continued on, as if she hadn't heard the girl. "I was nice enough to take you in, and this is what I get? You know, your mother was the same. Selfish. Always thinking of herself. Do you know how much it hurts when everyone in town knows I raise a delinquent? Do you know how many stares I get?"

Thalia's breathing seemed to stop all together. Why was she being so…well, mean? The daughter of Zeus didn't find trouble, it found _her_! Amy's reprimanding tone reminded Thalia of her mother's harsh, drunken rants.

_"It's all your fault! Your father never would have left us if you weren't so disrespectful!"_

"You're so disrespectful!" her aunt started again, but Thalia had already begun to tune her out, dwelling on hazy memories. "Would it kill you to be a good kid for once?"

_"You act this way in spite of me! You think I like punishing you?"_

Thalia closed her eyes tightly, not wishing to relive the terrible memories but unable to stop the onslaught of thoughts. Her aunt's voice drowned to the back of her mind, as she desperately pleaded with her mind to clear itself of everything. Of course, it was no use.

Thalia just wished she could get over her troublesome past and move on. It was only serving to hold her back.

Her eyes watered beneath their lids, and she gripped her thighs painfully. Her side ached, her mind raced, and she just couldn't take it anymore. She didn't want to hear Amy. She wanted everything to stop.

Thunder shook the sky, as lighting raced down to peck the gravel road. Amy was shocked out of her lecture, and struggled to keep the vehicle from slipping as rain poured down even harsher than it had before. The violent winds assaulted the treetops, shaking leaves and the like to the ground.

"I didn't see anything on the news about a storm!" Amy muttered thoughtfully, displeased. "Was it this bad earlier?"

In the back of her mind, Thalia knew she was strengthening the rain, wind, and lightning. But, she couldn't bring herself to stop. She doubted she could if she attempted to.

"Thalia!"

Lightning struck down within their view, blowing a good size gap in the lane opposite of them.

"Thalia!"

Storm clouds brewed above, surely moments away from casting even more earth-shattering lightning down.

"Thalia Alcaeus Grace!"

Thalia's eyes flew open, and she took in the sight in front of her. Two cars had crashed into one another, and they were both turned on their sides, smoking in the grass next to the road. She could hardly make out a thing through the glass, as the rain was too merciless for the windshield wipers to swipe away. Thunder roared above, a gloomy promise of an even rougher storm.

The daughter of Zeus closed her eyes and sought to end the storm, or at least calm it until they could get home.

"Damn it, kid! I'm sorry!" Amy yelled, setting a free hand on the teenager's knee. "Please, talk to me. I'm sorry for snapping at you earlier, but we need to get home. This storm could very well kill us, Thalia."

Thalia felt the tug in her gut—the one that she hadn't felt since she was nearly fourteen years of age. She had gotten so used to summoning lightning, that it hardly bothered her any longer. But this time, she had summoned a lot more than simple lightning. She had turned light rainfall into a tempestuous storm and nearly killed people. She didn't even know if the people in the crash were all right.

The storm didn't stop completely, but it definitely lessened. Lightning was no longer striking down or stirring very much above—Thalia would know if it were, of course. The rain was still pretty rough, but no longer absolutely unforgiving.

The daughter of Zeus exhaled deeply, turning over to send her aunt a wavering smile. "I'm okay, Amy," she promised, taking another deep breath. "We're okay."

By the time they got home, the rain was remarkably lighter. Amy stepped out of the car and grumbled.

"I've always hated rain," she complained, trying to shield her curls from the downpour. "Your mother loved it."

Thalia ignored the mention of her mother, but manipulated the rain to ease up on her aunt. The daughter of Zeus loved the rain, so she didn't particularly mind if it were pouring down on her. She had to get a shower soon, anyway.

* * *

Thalia packed her bags for camp, feeling refreshed after her shower and nap. Her day, or night rather, was beginning to brighten. Soon, she would be stopping by Percy's house, and then they would be off to camp. It was certainly what she needed most at the end of such a stressful day.

As she threw her (what she realized was) Drakon flight jacket into her duffle bag, her aunt barged into the room with her hair in a mess.

"Thalia," she said, panting. "Dinner is ready."

Did she have to wrestle the cow before she killed it?

"All right," the daughter of Zeus responded.

Amy cleared her throat. "And, just what do you think you happen to be doing?"

"Packing my bag for camp…" Thalia trailed off, wincing visibly and silently praying to whatever god was listening that her aunt didn't choose to do this. Not now. Not so close to her leaving.

Amy's hands settled on her hips and she scowled. "I don't think so. You're in big trouble. You can't just get expelled from school and expect me to let you go off and do whatever you please."

"Amy—"

"Don't," her aunt cut her off, waving a hand. "There is no room for discussion. Dinner is ready. Come downstairs and eat."

The demigoddess sighed, throwing her bag to the closet. She hadn't wanted to do this—not to her family—but she had no choice. She had to get to camp. Not only for her own enjoyment, either. Percy had promised to tell Annabeth of her recently acquired mark, and they were all going to get to the bottom of it.

Even if she had to run away, she was going to camp tonight. Zeus help whoever made an effort to stop her.

* * *

After everyone else was asleep, Thalia snuck out of bed and quickly shouldered her bag. She was already dressed in outdoor wear: a bleached jean jacket with a cotton hood, a black shirt, beige jeans, and a pair of insulated work boots.

She took out a pen and a piece of paper when she was downstairs and just inside of the door. Her handwriting was horrible, but she managed to get the brief message across.

_Be home before you know it, _the note read. _Don't be too angry._

Thalia glanced back once before trudging outside and down the front steps of the house, her duffle bag growing heavier with every step she took. She had to do what she had to do. And she had to find Percy Jackson.


	3. Joe Bob's Family Reunion

**A/N: This is the longest chapter of this story so far, but not the longest I have written in the past. Just a little warning: Even though this chapter does involve a lot of the events that took place in the actual book, I assure you that it will not always be so. It just fit better for this chapter.**

**Disclaimer: Wish I did, but I don't own it. Pretend I didn't say that first part; it sounds obsessive.**

* * *

**Joe Bob's Family Reunion**

Thalia stuffed her phone into her pocket angrily, shivering against the cold Manhattan breeze. Percy Jackson wasn't answering his phone. After looking at the time, she realized he probably wouldn't even be up this late at night. It wasn't actually night, she corrected. It was just past three in the morning.

It hadn't taken her very long to get into New York, which certainly surprised her. Then again, she hadn't stopped to take a break at all. The daughter of Zeus had forgotten to bring any cash with her. She managed to sneak on a bus for a short time before she was discovered and booted off. At least they hadn't arrested her, she thought with a wry smile.

Thalia had wanted to call Percy and let him know that she was on her way, and that they needed to get a move on. Unfortunately, even seven calls weren't enough to make the boy wake up. She gave up on trying to contact him. The daughter of Zeus was just going to lie down and rest, and head to his apartment in the morning. Hopefully, she would get there before he had to go to school.

Finding a relatively safe place in the park, far away from the homeless and night crawlers, she relaxed her body atop an uncomfortable bench, using her duffle bag as a pillow. She had seemingly forgotten how cold both Boston and Manhattan got during the spring months, and especially early in the morning. Fighting back the urge to shiver, she closed her eyes and willed for sleep to take a hold of her.

Thalia finally managed to sleep and thankfully, dreams didn't find her. Unthankfully, a hellhound did instead. It was smaller than the average demon, as it appeared to be young. It wasn't much of a challenge to her, and she didn't find herself intimidated in the least. She had fought hellhounds in the past. As long as she was quick on her feet (which she usually was) she had nothing to worry about.

However, the daughter of the Zeus screamed bloody murder when she first saw the thing. And, why? She woke up when she felt the rain drizzling…only to realize, when she awoke, it was hellhound drool. Cue the screaming.

Thalia frowned. She supposed she shouldn't have used her cellular device earlier. Even if it took a while for monsters to reach her, a scent of the Big Three was always a big hit in the demon community.

She woke up a great number of hobos, who all yelled something along the lines of _'Shut up, you damn kid!' _She also attracted the attention of several people who were walking by the park, and they hurried even further away, acting as if they hadn't heard her scream. A little boy, who was playing fetch with his puppy, gasped in astonishment and ran to his mother. He had claimed that the scary girl was kicking her poodle.

The daughter of Zeus rolled her eyes. The Mist could be a real pain in the ass, especially when it made her look like some kind of puppy torturer.

Thalia wiped the golden dust off the front of her jean jacket, silently rejoicing that the pesky substance hadn't gotten anywhere else—namely her curly and wild hair. Monster dust was extremely difficult to wash out if it was left anywhere for too long. Checking the time on her cell, and noticing that it was almost seven in the morning, she quickly powered the device down.

She had to hurry if she wanted to catch Percy in time for school. She wasn't being too impatient. All right, so she was. But, she felt she had reason to be. She was usually sort of relaxed and laidback (not), but they had places to be and things to attend to.

Thalia lost track of time once she started walking, but she eventually found herself in front of the familiar apartment building.

Not seeing any light through the window, she came to the conclusion that both Sally and Percy were still slumbering beneath their cozy blankets. Thalia held back a shiver. She was so stealing his bed when she got in there.

She didn't want to risk waking Sally from a peaceful sleep, so she walked around the building until she spotted his fire escape looming far above her. The daughter of Zeus gulped. She hadn't lost her fear of heights, even if she had recently been experimenting with her control over the air. It was simply impossible to forget such a fear.

_No reason to fear heights, _she told herself.

Urging herself to think optimistically, she scaled the building. It was obviously an old apartment complex, as its ladders had long since been eaten away by rust and the like. She didn't trust the metal bars enough to climb them, so she saw no other choice than to latch onto the slightly protruding bricks as she went.

It reminded her of the climbing wall back at Camp Half-Blood. In a way, even though it was most certainly less dangerous, scaling the building was much more terrifying than the lava wall.

Brick after brick, Thalia pulled her body up.

_Don't look down. Don't look down. Don't look down. You're looking down! Stop looking down!_

"Thalia?" a shocked voice called from just above her head.

The daughter of Zeus looked up, startled, flashing a sheepish smile. "Hi, Sally."

"What on Gaea's green earth are you doing on our fire escape?" the woman responded, mouth agape.

It wasn't everyday you find your son's friend climbing up your apartment building, Thalia supposed. Unless, of course, you person lived in an 80's movie.

The demigoddess thought long and stupidly for a moment. "It's cold."

Sally rolled her eyes good-naturedly before opening the window completely and ushering the taller inside. "What brings you here?" she asked once the demigoddess was safely indoors.

Eyeing the young girl in a concerned manner, Ms. Jackson reached out and dusted off the shoulder of Thalia's jean hooded jacket. "Monster?"

Thalia nodded. "Yeah, just a hellhound," she replied casually. "And, I actually wanted to see if Percy would head to camp with me this morning. It's really urgent."

Glancing around the teenage boy's bedroom, the daughter of Zeus resisted the urge to snort. He was just as messy as she was, if not messier. His clothes were scattered all around the floor, magazines were thrown about, and the sheets of his bed were jumbled upon the mattress.

Sally frowned. "I'm sorry, dear," she said. "Percy left for school with his friend Tyson. You just missed him."

"Tyson?"

The woman nodded, smiling warmly. "He's…something else." There was an amused glint in her blue eyes that unsettled Thalia. "Anyway, you can stick around and wait for him to get back home if you'd like."

The demigoddess shook her head wildly, her curly bangs falling across her face. "I can't, Ms. J. I'm sorry. I have to get going. I need to find Percy and get to camp."

"Thalia, honey, what's the rush—"

"We have things to do, and I just don't know—"

Sally reached out and grabbed onto the girl's arms, looking up at her. "What's the emergency, Thalia? You know you can tell me anything."

"—I have to go. I can't stay any longer," the raven-haired girl continued, as if she hadn't heard the woman at all.

Thalia suddenly felt light-headed. Her vision blurred around the edges, but she pushed back toward the window. Sally looked surprised, taking in the girl's appearance.

"You keep stumbling, are you all right?"

The demigoddess' head felt like it had suddenly been dipped in a vat of quicksand. She didn't know what in Hades had happened. One second, she had felt fine; the next, she was on the verge of passing out. Her mind was sluggish, and pain wrecked her body. She didn't think she could stand straight any longer.

Her knees buckled beneath her, and she fainted to the ground, Sally's cries drowning in the back of her mind.

* * *

When she came to, she first noticed that she was sweating excessively. Her body was absolutely burning, but at the same time she felt chilly. Even though it nearly killed her to do so, she snuggled further into the thick blue blanket that lay over her willowy form.

It was a few moments before she could open her eyes completely, and a bright twinkle caught her attention. She turned her head to the side, to see the source of the distracting light. The sun reflected off of a cool glass of nectar, and her hands eagerly reached out for the glass.

"Don't sweat it," a friendly Sally walked through the door and to the nightstand. "Lean up as much as you can," she ordered, lifting the glass and pressing the straw against the demigoddess' full lips.

The daughter of Zeus gulped the entire glass down within seconds, unsurprisingly. She always finished off nectar fairly fast. It tasted of her mother's homemade colcannon—something that shouldn't have tasted good in a drink, but did anyway.

"How long was I out?" the demigoddess asked, sighing.

Her body was starting to cool down, which was good. She had no idea what had made her overheat so badly, but it was a pain in the ass. She hoped it was only a temporary thing; she didn't want to be fainting all the time!

"Almost two hours," the woman replied, taking a napkin and dabbing at her chin. She smiled when the girl shied away from her attentions.

Thalia released a large breath of air, staring at Sally in near-astonishment. "Two hours?" she repeated, shaking her head in disbelief. "I seriously have to leave now. This is getting ridiculous."

"Whoa, what?" the mortal woman asked, pressing a hand to Thalia's collarbone to keep the girl rooted on the bed. "What do you mean? Has this happened to you before?"

The daughter of Zeus shook her head, eyes unfocused. "No," she said. "Just in a dream. Two nights ago, I dreamt about my pine tree—you know, the one on top of Half-Blood Hill. But, for some reason, I felt almost connected to it. A—and, Luke. He was there. Gods, he shoved a fuckin'—"

Sally shot her a disappointed look.

"—_freakin'_," Thalia corrected, "sword through the trunk."

"You think you felt it."

"Well, yeah," she said, almost defensively. "I know I did! But, I didn't know if it would affect me outside of the dream. There's no way I can be attached to the tree."

Sally sighed tiredly. "Why don't you try explaining this whole tree thing to me? I haven't heard the full story."

Thalia nodded, still slightly distracted by her thoughts. "Sure," she said. "See, when Luke, Annabeth, Grover and I finally reached camp, too many monsters managed to catch up with us. They outnumbered us greatly. We might have stood a better chance had I been in a healthier condition. Anyway, I told them to go on without me. I almost died, but my father saved me. He created a pine tree in my place, to deter Hades and the rest of the gods away."

"So they would think you were turned into the tree?" Sally guessed.

"Yeah." Thalia bit her lip in thought. "He slowed down my aging in hopes I wouldn't reach the prophecy age before he figured out something, but that's a story for another time," she said, waving her hand dismissively.

"How did it fool the gods?" the woman asked. "I mean, the tree thing. They're immortal, powerful beings. Wouldn't they have noticed that it wasn't you?"

Thalia was about to say no, but then she actually considered the words. They were, in fact, gods. They would know better to believe something like that. So, how had her father fooled them? Had he done something to the pine in order to make the tale believable? The demigoddess shook herself out of her thoughts, and fixed her sapphire gaze on the window across the room.

Sally stood from the bed instantly, beginning to pace the room.

"You have to be connected to the tree," she reasoned. "Some way, somehow. If I were able to see the tree, I might have a better idea."

"What makes you think that?"

"Clear-sighted mortals can see even more than a demigod can, occasionally," Sally replied, deep in thought. "You have to get to camp soon. You were right. Percy and you need to tell Chiron what is going on. He'll know what to do better than I will."

Thalia nodded in understanding, sliding her feet back onto the warm carpeted floor. She noticed Sally had removed her boots before setting her into bed. She found them on the other side of the room and she hurriedly slipped them on, paying no attention to the sore thumping of her skull.

"You sure you'll be all right?" Sally asked, her eyebrows furrowed. Percy and she looked so alike; it made Thalia smile.

"Yes, Sally," the demigoddess responded. "I'm positive. I just have a little headache."

"I should drive you two to camp."

"That won't be necessary. If there are monsters…"

Sally frowned. "Please, at least let me give you a ride to Percy's school. I already called in sick for work after you fainted. I didn't want to leave you unattended."

The daughter of Zeus blushed. She wasn't very used to generous people. "You didn't have to do that," she threw out shyly. "But, I appreciate it. You can give me a ride to the school if you'd like. Makes it much faster…and I don't know where it is."

The older woman's frown dissipated. She smiled, leading the taller girl out of the apartment building. "Great," she said. "I love road trips."

* * *

By the time they arrived in front of the school, Thalia already had her duffle bag thrown over her shoulder and the car door wide open. Before she could leap out of the vehicle while it was still parking, Sally called her back.

"Be careful," Percy's mother said, handing her a baggie of ambrosia squares. "He has gym now, I think. Keep my boy safe."

Thalia grinned wolfishly. "We're talking about Percy here."

Sally smiled. "I know, I know. Be good, the both of you. Iris message me as soon as you get to camp?"

"You betcha."

"Good-bye, Thalia."

"See you, Sally."

The daughter of Zeus watched as the woman backed out of the parking space, changed directions, and headed back to the apartment. She glanced up at the school. It was tall, and almost intimidating. It didn't look like a school any of her friends would attend. It resembled the school she had recently been expelled from, and it reminded her of the academies she had been forced to attend as a young child.

A large, stark white arch stood above the main building. It took Thalia a few long moments before she could decipher the fine, black script letters.

**MERIWETHER COLLEGE PREP**

Thalia released an exhausted breath of air, glanced around her to make sure no one was watching, and entered the school.

The air conditioner hummed above her head upon entering, and she nearly jumped from the sensation. Shaking her head, donning a droll smirk, she silently made her way down the main hallway. She had no idea where the gym was, but she was sure that she would know when she spotted it.

A man suddenly rushed out of his classroom, his curly blond hair in a mess. He wore an ACDC shirt and a pair of ripped jeans. A pair of thin sandals decorated his feet, and he passed by her hurriedly, a mouth full of gum. Thalia was pretty sure he had been a teacher, too.

The man glanced to her worriedly. "Sorry, young lady. Didn't see you there," he excused. "What a great day!"

The demigoddess stopped, sparing the hurrying man an incredulous glance.

What kind of school was this?

The teacher's unusual optimism reminded Thalia of a character in a book that her English professor had nearly shoved down her throat. _Candide_, was it? Surprisingly, she had enjoyed the satire. Reading had never really been her forte.

Boisterous laughter sounded from to the left, and she quickly sprinted that way. After waving her way through tricky hallways, coming to several dead-ends, and running into a few wandering cheerleaders who helped direct their "new student", she finally came to a stop in front of what she surmised were the doors to the gym.

The daughter of Zeus slowly creaked one of the doors ajar, and what she saw made her clench her jaw in anger. Percy sat on the floor, obviously in pain and clutching his stomach, with a dodge ball lying on the floor next to him. A group of taller, bulkier freshman stood on the opposite side of the gym, howling with mocking laughter.

Thin—for lack of a less offensive word—geeks stood behind Percy, cowering in fear. Only one kid, besides the son of Poseidon, wasn't shrinking back…and he was hardly what Thalia would consider a kid. The boy must have been four inches taller than she was, which was remarkably impressive. His clothes were tattered and shredded, as if he shopped in landfills.

It reminded the daughter of Zeus of the days she had been on the run.

His teeth appeared mangled and shimmered like butterscotch. She didn't have time to look any longer because just then, the tall boy in question yelled.

"Percy, duck!"

The son of Poseidon rolled out of the way just in time, the lightning fast dodge ball hitting the back mats thunderously. A yelp projected from behind the mat, and a skinny boy stumbled out from behind it.

"Hey!" Percy yelled. "You could kill somebody!"

The daughter of Zeus resisted the urge to smile. He was so caring.

The largest of the bullies grinned, flashing a rather repulsive set of caramel teeth. "I hope so, Perseus Jackson," he said, and Thalia's eyes widened. "I hope so!"

In the world of mythology, if someone said your full name when they should've been oblivious to it, they were either gods or enemies. Occasionally both.

Without giving herself time to rethink anything, Thalia got ready to throw her duffel to the far side of the gym and threw the door open. All eyes snapped to her, and dodge balls ceased to fly across the room. The daughter of Zeus crouched when she saw one of the giants pulling his throwing arm back, and slid into Percy's team zone.

She released her bag, watching it as it slid until it hit the far wall. The demigoddess stood, lifting a dodge ball up in the process, and tossed it with all her might. She managed to catch a dark-haired boy in the stomach, causing him to fall to his knees and groan.

Percy stood next to her and pulled her in for a quick hug. His smile was one of relief. "So glad you could make it."

Thalia smirked. "Wouldn't miss it for the world. So, what's their deal?" She already had a strong hunch they were monsters, but she wanted to be sure he was getting the same vibe.

Before he could answer her, a roar resonated—the cry of one of the feared giant bullies. Thalia watched in surprise, as they grew even taller than before, standing menacingly at nearly eight-foot and donning arms full of sleazy generic tattoos. They were also disgustingly hairy.

The boy she had nailed in the stomach stood, shock clear on his features. "Whoa! You're not from Detroit! Who…"

Other kids in the gym wailed and ran, heading for the only exit. Before they managed to open the door completely, one of the monsters—Marrow Sucker, as his handy nametag read—threw a ball with astonishing accuracy, shutting it immediately. They banged desperately, but the door would not open again.

"Let them go!" Percy yelled bravely.

Joe Bob—again, courtesy of the creative nametags—growled. He tightened his grip around a ball, his tattoo rippling on his arm as he did so. Thalia squinted in order to make the words out. _JB Luvs Babycakes. _

"And lose our tasty morsels?" the monster asked. "No, Son of the Sea God. We Laistrygonians aren't just playing for your death. We want lunch!"

Laistrygonians? Thalia held back a snicker as a rather immature thought popped into her head. _Laistrygonads, _she thought snidely. _You're an idiot, Thalia. _

He waved his monstrous hand, and a row of bronze cannonballs appeared on the line. But, they weren't average; they were riddled with holes, and threatening flames danced within the spheres. The monsters lifted them with ease, despite the fact that they must have been searing hot.

Percy shot his female companion an almost helpless look…and he was never helpless. It wasn't very much like him at all. He was the bravest person she knew, and she didn't quite like seeing him feel so down.

"Play nice," the coach mumbled from his chair, lazily flipping the page in his _Sports Illustrated. _

Skull Eater took the first shot, aiming for the son of Poseidon. Thalia could feel the heat of the flames as he pushed slightly into her, successfully dodging the hit.

"Corey!" he screamed.

Thalia didn't risk glancing back to check on the thin boy. When she didn't hear any moans of pain, she figured he was all right. How had he gotten out of the way? It was normal for a demigod to have supernatural instincts and reflexes.

"Run!" Percy yelled. "The locker room exit!"

Before the boys could, Joe Bob waved his beefy hand again, and the doors flung closed.

"No one leaves until you're out!" the monster bellowed. "And you're not out until we eat you!"

Thalia grimaced, looking to Percy. "Can't argue with logic," she quipped. "And right now, logic is looking a bit like nailing one of those fuckers with a cannonball."

The demigod looked at her strangely, gritting his teeth. "That's your plan?"

"You're complaining?"

"No, I'm not complaining!"

"You're complaining."

Joe Bob snarled. "Hey! Stop talking to your girlfriend, Perseus. It's time to die!"

He launched a fireball of his own, this time aiming for the daughter of Zeus. Percy pushed her out of the way just in time, leaving a huge smoking crater in the gym floor. Thalia climbed out from beneath him and helped him back to his feet.

"Riptide," he said in realization. "Riptide is in my locker. I can't go get it!"

Thalia activated Aegis, smirking in satisfaction when everyone shrunk away from the frightening head of Medusa, even some of the giants. She dug into her pocket and threw him Thunderbird.

"You take offense, I take defense?" she proposed, setting herself into position.

The son of Poseidon grinned, activating the weapon. It looked unbalanced in his hands, but she knew he could handle wielding it. "Now that's a plan," he replied, sending her a quick smile before sobering up.

Another fireball streaked towards them, courtesy of Marrow Sucker. Even with demigod reflexes, the two of them couldn't make it out of the way. They found themselves tackled by the tall, street boy Thalia had been studying earlier.

The daughter of Zeus scowled. "What's up with me and hitting the floor today?" she murmured to herself.

Thankfully, because of the son of Poseidon, her new bleached jean jacket was saved from the force of the explosion. Her shirt was a whole other story. The two of them looked like they had just survived a nuclear war (which, in itself, would prove impressive). Gaps sizzled in their short-sleeved tees, and their cheeks were marred with an ashy like substance.

Two monsters focused on the demigods once again. They just couldn't catch a break, could they?

"Flesh!" they chorused. "Hero flesh for lunch!"

They took aim.

Percy glanced over at Thalia, his beautiful sea green eyes glazed. "C-can you," he coughed, "summon lightning?"

The daughter of Zeus was unsure of herself. She had passed out not too long before, back at his apartment. Would she be able to use her powers? She decided it was worth a shot.

The boy who had saved them earlier gasped. "Percy and his girlfriend need help!"

The demigods blushed, but crawled to their feet.

"Tyson!" the son of Poseidon yelled, as the brave mortal jumped in front of them and caught both of the cannonballs.

In the blink of an eye—actually one, in fact—the fiery spheres were sent back across the gymnasium, catching the two giants in the gut and causing them to explode into matching pillars of flame.

How had Thalia missed it before? Tyson—the same Tyson that Sally had mentioned earlier in the day; that had just saved them twice; that looked so incredibly friendly and innocent—was a Cyclops.

Her mind flashed back to the first time she had ever encountered one of his kind, but she quickly repressed the memory. She didn't need to dwell on that idea now. They needed to get everyone out of there—preferably alive and well.

"My brothers!" Joe the Giant wailed. Thalia thought he sounded a little like Calliope after she was told she couldn't have ice cream before dinner…except more masculine, of course. "You will pay for their destruction!"

"Tyson!" the daughter of Zeus screamed. The young Cyclops appeared surprised when his name fell from her lips. "Watch out!"

"Victory will be ours!" Joe roared, pulling his arm back.

Tyson wouldn't have enough time to stop the cannonball. Thalia didn't have a high resistance to heat, so she reacted in the only way she knew how.

Lightning streaked through the gym ceiling, directly hitting the ignited ball seconds before it would have soared into the Cyclops. It exploded, blasting the flaming bronze ball to bits. Tyson was still flung into the back wall, but at least he hadn't been hit. His large body slumped in exhaustion.

Joe was so surprised he dropped his next fireball. "Daughter of the Sky God!"

Percy looked just as shocked. "Heft Aegis!" he called suddenly.

Thalia lifted her shield and the son of Poseidon scooped her bronze sword off of the floor. They neared the front line, managing to dodge even more projectiles. Percy seemed to ponder something for a few moments before he glanced at her in alarm.

"What?" she asked, concerned.

Little fires danced around the gym, and Tyson still hadn't budged. The other kids were continuing to search for an exit, and she noticed that the attention of Joe Bob and his "brothers" was solely on the two of them.

Percy handed her sword to her. "Cover me," he commanded. "I have a plan. If you can, get a kill in."

Thalia knew better than to ask what he was planning. She nodded, strengthening her stance into one of an offensive nature. She deactivated Aegis, not wishing to catch one of the fireballs with the beautiful bronze.

Jackson, the crazy bastard he was, ran straight for the locker room, ordering the other kids out of his way.

Two giants attempted to take advantage of Tyson, and the daughter of Zeus narrowed her eyes. Leaping into the air, she flipped over the panicking bodies of a few students, and shot her sword directly through the smaller giant's skull.

The other one turned on her and dropped his weapon, reaching out to strike her instead. She narrowly avoided his attack, and swung her sword up underneath his underarm, slicing all the way through his upper chest. The monsters erupted into smoke, leaving two giants still standing.

"Wrong side of the court, Daughter of Zeus!" a giant laughed, stomping towards her. Joe Bob was too preoccupied throwing a cannonball towards the locker room.

Wait…the locker room?

Percy was trying to break into the locker room in order to retrieve Riptide. Of course. He probably didn't feel comfortable enough using Thunderbird.

As soon as the son of Poseidon jumped out of the way of the fiery ball, one sailed past her shoulder. Skull Eater growled in frustration, throwing yet another her way. She didn't dodge that one so easily. She was saved once again when Tyson suddenly sprung onto his feet and caught the ball.

He sent it back to its owner, but the giant managed to duck out of the way. The cannonball planted itself into the wall behind them, going through to the other side. Unfortunately, it didn't provide a large enough gap for anyone to escape.

Thalia chanced checking on Percy, to see he had successfully managed to trick Joe Bob into blasting open the wall of the locker room. A jock strap landed near her boot and she blanched, kicking it away.

Tyson, giving up on playing a dangerous game of dodge ball, walked straight up to Skull Eater and punched him in the face. The daughter of Zeus nearly laughed. She hadn't expected him to do it.

When the kind monster turned around to check on the demigoddess, it was too late for her to warn him. Joe Bob planted a cannonball in Tyson's chest, causing him to fall and slide the length of the court. The wall cracked and crumbled on top of him when his back came into contact with it.

Luckily, the impact opened a large enough makeshift door onto Church Street. Unluckily, Tyson was too dazed to attempt standing again.

"Well, I'm the last one standing!" Joe Bob bragged, puffing out his hairy chest. "I'll have enough meat to bring Babycakes a doggie bag!"

The giant prepared to attack Tyson again.

"Stop!" the son of Poseidon called. "Leave him alone. It's me you want!"

Thalia shook her head wildly, silently begging the demigod not to stand up and divert the monster's attention. She didn't care if it made her sound shallow; she'd rather have a monster die than her best friend.

"You wish to die first, young hero?" Joe Bob flashed a greasy smile. Thalia stepped in beside her friend, gripping his shoulder to reassure him. The giant grinned wider. "You wish to die alongside your man, Daughter of—uff!"

_Uff? _She was the daughter of Uff?

The tip of a blade wrenched its way through the monster's body, protruding out of his belly button. Joe let his flaming projectile drop from his meaty hands. He glanced down in astonishment, his gnarly teeth bared.

"Ow."

He erupted into green flame, causing the demigods to high-five. In the smoke, stood their friend Annabeth, the daughter of Athena and their current savior.

Admittedly, she didn't quite look like a savior at the moment. Her hair and face were layered in dirt and soot. Scratches ran the lengths of her cheeks—none of them severe enough to last—and her voluminous golden locks were in tangles. Her worn backpack hung loosely off her shoulder, and her Yankees cap sat tucked into her back pocket.

"I don't know why you two oafs are congratulating one another," she scoffed, rolling her eyes playfully. "I did all the work."

Thalia retracted her sword, and slipped the pocket watch into her jacket.

"Are you kidding me?" Percy exclaimed jokingly. "That was all me."

Thalia frowned, taking in the shorter girl's appearance. "What happened to you, Annabeth? You look like shit."

The daughter of Athena snorted. "Ever the charmer," she jibed. "You are so blunt."

"Sorry, you know I didn't mean it that way," the dark-haired demigoddess apologized. "But, seriously, what's got you looking so rough?"

"I trekked all the way from—"

The short brunette boy from earlier stumbled into the conversation, blinking wildly at the blonde demigoddess. "That's—that's the girl—"

Without giving him time to finish his sentence, Annabeth socked him square in the nose, causing him to fall onto his back.

Thalia smirked in pride.

"_You_," she snarled. "Lay off my friend."

The gym was engulfed in flames. The other kids hadn't ceased panicking, and resembled a bunch of wild, depraved chimpanzees. Police sirens wailed from the outside—a sound the daughter of Zeus knew all too well. A man appeared in front of the exit door window, wrestling with a ring of keys to get the gymnasium to open.

A thought came to the raven-haired demigoddess, and she furrowed her eyebrows. "Uh, Annabeth?"

"Yes?"

"How long have you been here? How did you know that Percy was in trouble?"

Annabeth flushed scarlet. "How did _you _know?" she countered.

Percy gaped. "How did either of you know?" He seemed to realize something, and he stared at the blonde in terror. "Oh my Gods, you were looking in through my bedroom window!"

"What? No!" she denied.

Thalia shrugged. "Don't feel bad, Annie. I climbed through it."

The son of Poseidon huffed. "What in the H—"

The tallest sent him an annoyed look. "You weren't in there," she defended.

"So?" he exclaimed. "What is wrong with you two?"

The girls shared a look. Annabeth sighed. "I just wanted to get a chance to talk to you, but you were never available," she complained.

Percy and Annabeth looked to the daughter of Zeus. In response, the brunette scratched the back of her head. "Yeah," Thalia drew out. "I was just sneaking into your house."

The doors to the gym swung open before any more creepy things could be said between the three. A woman shouted, "There!"

Annabeth gave them both steely looks. "Both of you," she began, "meet me outside." Her eyes flickered to the dazed form of Tyson, and she scowled distastefully. "And him. You'd better bring him," she decided reluctantly.

Percy was confused as to her instant hatred, but Thalia sure as hell wasn't. They had encountered their first Cyclops together, years before. Again, she had to shake off the memory. It didn't sit well with her. And, if the other girl noticed her thinking about it, then she would think of it as well.

"Anna—" Percy started to say, before Thalia nudged him.

"No time!" the blonde said, putting on her Yankee's cap and vanishing. "Hurry!"

Teachers, staff members, policemen and the like crowded around the flaming area. The daughter of Zeus made awkward eye contact with one of the officers, and immediately glanced away, beginning to whistle.

"Percy Jackson?" a man asked, bewildered. Thalia guessed he was the principal. "What…how…?"

Tyson groaned in pain, standing up from the crumbled bits of wall. "Head hurts."

"Matt," Percy snapped when he saw the boy on the floor begin to stir.

Matt stared up in terror, pointing an accusing finger at the both of them. "Percy and his psycho girlfriend did it, Mr. Bonsai. She broke into the gym and brought explosives. They burned the gym down! Coach will tell you. He saw everything!"

The daughter of Zeus sneered. "Oh, he is _so_ on my shit list," she whispered to herself.

The coach looked up when he heard his title being said, and mumbled, "Eh? What was that? Yeah, mm-hmm."

All of the adults turned their attention to the two disheveled half bloods. Thalia had received that look enough times to know that, no matter what they said, they would never be believed.

The son of Poseidon grabbed Riptide out of the pocket of his jeans, grabbed Thalia's hand, and ran towards the hole behind Tyson. Thalia snatched up her bag from the ground, thankful that it hadn't been ruined.

"Come on!" Percy told the young monster, before the two demigods leaped out of the wall.

They landed on the other side roughly, falling face-first onto the cement. Thalia coughed, but got back to her feet. After the son of Poseidon lifted himself from the floor, and they saw that Tyson was following closely behind them, they sprinted away from the burning building.


	4. An Eye for a Tooth

**A/N: I'm going to be perfectly honest here; I didn't take much time to review this. I managed to catch some mistakes. Most of the mistakes I do make are only due to the fact that I tend to think a little faster than I type. So, if there are any grammatical and/or spelling mistakes present, feel free to point it out. I'm not the kind of person to jump all over someone like that. I favor constructive criticism. **

**Moving on from that pointless topic, here is chapter four. Excuse the ridiculous name. I was actually seriously considering using "Destination is in the Beholder of the Eye," but I try and direct myself away from being too lame. So, I settled for one I thought of in matter of two or three seconds.**

**Hope you enjoy reading. Reviews are appreciated, and questions of any sort are always welcomed. **

**Disclaimer: I'm not a forty-year-old male residing in Texas (no offense to Rick), so I can not honestly say that I own PJO.**

* * *

**An Eye for a Tooth**

Percy was used to unusual days. Being a demigod, it was almost expected that a monster or two show up. But it wasn't everyday that another child of the Big Three—one of his best friends, in fact—showed up, along with Annabeth, who somehow knew he would be in trouble. The son of Poseidon trusted his friends with his life. He just couldn't help but find it a little bit creepy that they happened to pop in and fight alongside him.

He followed Thalia down the roads, feeling Tyson running along with them. Eventually, they found themselves pulled into an alley. His first reaction was to scream and thrash his arms, but he saw it was Annabeth who snatched them. He was thankful that he hadn't released a high-pitched scream. He knew the girls would never let him live it down.

A fire truck wailed in the distance, and Percy surmised it was heading towards his burning school.

Annabeth pointed at Tyson, wrinkling her nose. "Where'd you find _him_?"

Thalia grimaced at the mention of Tyson. Percy furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. Why were both of his closest friends acting as if his new friend disgusted them? It was obvious that Tyson wasn't the most charming person in the world, but he was really friendly.

Why were Thalia and Annabeth acting this way? They didn't even know him, so who were they to judge? After Tyson had saved their lives, the least _Thalia _could do was say a thanks. But no, she was appearing just as disgruntled as the daughter of Athena. Frankly, the demigod didn't get it.

"He's my friend," Percy said, glancing at the uncomfortable girls. "Why does it matter?"

"Is he homeless?" the daughter of Athena questioned again, ignoring his inquiry.

"What does that have to do with anything?" the son of Poseidon snapped. "He can hear, you know. Why don't you ask him yourself?"

Thalia looked to Annabeth, cutting off whatever the blonde had been about to say. "Yeah," she said. "He can talk. You shouldn't look so surprised. You, of all people, should remember—"

Annabeth raised a hand to silence the daughter of Zeus. The dark-haired demigoddess looked angered, but chose not to say anything more. Percy thought the affronted look on her face was a little cute, and he had always liked the way her nose twitched. It kind of reminded him of a bunny.

The blonde looked to Tyson reluctantly. "Can you talk?" she asked him cautiously.

He nodded, flashing his goofy smile. "I can talk," he affirmed. "You are pretty." He looked to Thalia next. "You are Percy's girlfriend."

The son of Poseidon gaped. He and Thalia had gone on a date, but they weren't _dating_. He couldn't believe Tyson had just said that in front of Annabeth. Now she was going to get the wrong idea and tell everyone at camp—namely, the children of Aphrodite.

"Ah! Gross!" the daughter of Athena exclaimed, flushing a violent red. Her head snapped towards Thalia, and she scowled. "So, you two are dating now?"

The children of the Big Three had the gall to blush. No matter what either of them said now, she wasn't going to believe them. But, he had to say something. He told her no, and the daughter of Zeus flashed him a strange, unintelligible look. He couldn't figure out for the life of him what it meant, but he chose not to focus too long on it.

Percy suddenly remembered his friend's possible injuries, and glanced down at Tyson's hands. They were grimy, dirty, and huge—no different than they usually were. How had he not been hurt? His hands looked unaffected from the various flaming cannonballs.

"Tyson," the son of Poseidon said in disbelief. "You aren't even hurt?"

"No duh," the brunette muttered in response, kicking the alley wall with the toe of her boot.

"I'm surprised the Laistrygonians had the nerve to attack you with him around," the daughter of Athena remarked with a sneer marring her pretty features. She flinched away and smacked Tyson on the hand when he tried to touch her beautiful blond hair.

Percy didn't know why she was getting so defensive. She was a pretty girl—anyone with eyes would know that much—and Tyson had obviously taken a liking to her. It was completely normal, but she didn't have to be so snippy about it. Even if he wasn't the best looking guy, Tyson still had feelings.

"Annabeth," the daughter of Zeus said. "He's never heard of Laistrygonads before. This is the first he's seen them."

"Did you just say gonads?" the blonde inquired with a sassy raise of her eyebrows.

Percy laughed aloud. Even though Tyson obviously didn't get the joke, he found himself chuckling as well. It was childlike, and the other three looked at him strangely. The son of Poseidon had never had the fortune of hearing his friend laugh. In a way, he sort of liked it. He knew Tyson didn't have the best life. He deserved happiness.

"Never mind that," Thalia replied, a little embarrassed. Percy smiled. It was actually kind of endearing. "He doesn't know what they are."

Annabeth sighed, looking to the son of Poseidon. "Laistrygonians. The monsters in the gym. They're a race of giant cannibals who mostly reside up north. Do you remember them from the tales of Odysseus?"

Percy nodded slowly. "Lasitry—forget it, I can't say that. What would you call them in English?"

The daughter of Athena pondered the idea for a moment. "Canadians," she decided with a shrug of her shoulders. "Now come on, we have to get out of here."

Thalia grew a stern expression, and it reminded him of Zeus when he received his master bolt. It was a sign that she was ready to get down to business and didn't care whom she would have to drag around in order to do so.

"What about the police?" she questioned, placing her hands on her hips. "You know they have to be after us…again."

Percy instantly caught on to what she was referring to. Just the summer before, police officials had chased them all across America. They had been involved in a national manhunt. He wasn't looking forward to that all over again.

"That's the least of our problems," Annabeth answered distractedly. She glanced to the daughter of Zeus, concern evident in her eyes. "Have you…heard?"

_Heard about what? _Percy wondered. He certainly hadn't heard. He really hoped she didn't do the whole "the bird is the word" thing.

Thalia frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Like…have you been having the dreams?" the blonde clarified, wringing the bill of her baseball cap almost nervously.

The daughter of Zeus paled before swallowing thickly. She nodded carefully, not willing to meet the other girl's knowing eyes. "Yeah," she answered. "I was worried it was true. Now I guess I know that it is."

The son of Poseidon stared quietly. So, had they been having the dreams about Grover as well? Why was Thalia acting so anxious, then? She and Grover had never been particularly close, even though they were friends. She wouldn't be this freaked about his disappearance, would she?

"Dreams?" he asked. "You've been having the ones about Grover, too?"

The girls shot him identical looks of surprise. Annabeth shook her head slowly. "No," she said. "What about Grover? What's happened to him?"

"Yeah," the daughter of Zeus joined in. "What's going on with him? Is he still searching for Pamela?"

"Pan," Annabeth corrected without blinking an eyelash.

Percy had always admired that about her. Even if he sometimes found it annoying, he felt as if her personality balanced out the recklessness of Thalia and him.

"Tell us about your dream," the daughter of Athena said, cutting off his line of thought. "And hurry. We don't have forever."

The son of Poseidon obliged. "I was in some beach town, and there was a bad storm. It was Florida, I'm pretty sure. I thought it was a normal dream at first, but then I turned and saw Grover trotting away for all that he was worth."

"He was running from something," the daughter of Zeus surmised, her dark eyebrows strewn together in thought.

"He looked like he had escaped from some island or something, I don't know," Percy continued. "I heard some kind of large beast yelling. It was hard to hear over the storm, but it was pretty distinct. Then I saw its shadow."

"What was it?" Tyson asked, intrigued, even though he obviously had no idea who or what Grover was.

From the corner of his eye, Percy saw Thalia briefly smile and it was enough to send a strange sense of warmth through him. For a second, she hadn't been hostile to Tyson. Unfortunately, the smile dissipated quickly and she regained her stern composure.

"I—I'm not totally sure. But, it was big enough to knock aside a street lamp."

Thalia and Annabeth shared a look.

"That could be a lot of monsters," the daughter of Zeus said, as if waiting for the blonde to say exactly what it had been.

Annabeth looked just as lost, which was unusual. "Keep describing the dream."

"It shook the ground, and Grover kept trying to get away," the son of Poseidon began again. "He ran into a bridal boutique to hide. He ducked behind a rack of wedding dresses, but the monster—whatever it was—found him. Lightning flashed, and then it yelled once it spotted him. But, I didn't get a look at what it was."

Annabeth nodded. "That's very…puzzling."

"Why? What did you two dream about?" Percy asked.

Thalia released a tired breath of air. "It's my tree."

Sea green eyes widened. "What's wrong with your tree? And, what does that have to do with anything?"

"I've been…I've been feeling everything," the daughter of Zeus answered timidly, hoping the two demigods wouldn't be too stunned. "There's trouble at camp. The tree was supposed to protect the borders…"

"But something has happened to it," Annabeth said. Her gray eyes grew stormy and wild as she turned to look at her tallest friend. "Thalia, what do you mean you've been feeling everything?"

"There's no time to explain," she said in response. "I don't even know _how _to explain in the first place. We have to get to camp and see what's going on."

To say the least, Percy was concerned. All of his friends at camp were in danger, and that was like a second home to him. If anything bad happened to it, he didn't know what he'd do.

Something occurred to him as he glanced to the daughter of Zeus. She had told him of something unfortunate that had happened on her birthday. She had claimed Hera, the Queen of the Gods, marked her and she had sent him a picture of it. Even though the picture was obviously real, it was still a lot to take in.

"What about the tattoo?" he asked suddenly, taking the brunette by surprise.

She rolled up the sleeve of her jacket and showed the black symbol to him. It was a landing eagle, and he found it slightly suspicious that it was also a sign of her father. Wouldn't Hera mark her with a symbol or animal of her own? After all, a tattoo of a peacock would really irritate the daughter of Zeus.

"Wow," Annabeth said. "You weren't kidding."

"Cool," Tyson murmured immaturely, finding it absolutely fascinating. He reached out to run his fingers along her wrist, but Thalia quickly jerked back and rolled her sleeve back down.

He appeared hurt, and Percy flashed the daughter of Zeus an annoyed glance. Honestly, he didn't see why people had to be so judgmental. Being a runaway and from the streets, Thalia should sympathize with Tyson.

"We'll get to the bottom of that later," the daughter of Athena said. "I feel like that can wait. Have monsters been trying to prevent you from nearing camp? I had to fight my way through Virginia."

Percy shook his head. "I haven't gotten attacked…with the exception of today."

"I got attacked a couple times," Thalia admitted. "Some creature named Lamia a day or two ago, and a hellhound this morning."

"Lamia?" Annabeth gasped in surprise. "Oh, gods. It's worse than I thought."

"Lamia?" Percy asked. "Who the hell is that?"

The daughter of Zeus shrugged. "She looked like a vampire."

The blonde demigoddess shot them both a look that managed to shut them up. "It's not safe to discuss until we get to camp." She looked to Tyson. "He's been keeping the monsters away from you all year, Percy. He better come, too."

Tyson raised his hand, as if he thought he was talking to a staff of teachers. "Canadians called Percy something…Son of the Sea God?"

Thalia ran her tongue slowly over her teeth, and her body tensed up. The son of Poseidon frowned. She usually did that when she was preparing herself for a fight. But, why would she feel that way around his homeless friend? It was frankly becoming ridiculous.

"Big guy," Percy said. "You ever hear those stories of the Greek gods. Zeus, Poseidon, Athena—"

"Yes," Tyson answered immediately.

Percy was slightly taken back, but he decided to continue. "Well, the gods still exist today. They follow Western Civilization around, living in the strongest countries. And, sometimes the gods have mortal children. The kids are called half-bloods."

"Yes," Tyson repeated again, as if he were waiting for Percy to hurry up and get to whatever his point was.

"Uh, Thalia, Annabeth, and I are half-bloods. H.I.T."

"H.I.T?" the daughter of Zeus cut in. "We're hoes-in-training?"

Annabeth snorted, flashing Thalia an incredulous smile. "He totally meant heroes-in-training. Keep with the terms, Ozone."

Percy rolled his eyes, ignoring their comments. "When monsters pick up our scents, they track us and try to kill us. That's what those giants were in the gym. Monsters."

"Yes."

The son of Poseidon stared at the tall boy in confusion. "So…you believe me?"

Tyson nodded. "But…you are Son of the Sea God?"

Why was he still hung up on that?

"Yeah," Percy answered. "My father is Poseidon."

Finally, the boy looked confused. "But…"

A siren wailed. Not a second too late, a police patrol car raced past the alley.

"We don't have time for this," the daughter of Athena said. "We'll talk in the freaking taxi. This is pointless."

"A taxi all the way to camp?" Percy asked, raising his eyebrows. For a daughter of Athena, she wasn't thinking too clearly. "You know how much money that will cost us?"

Thalia's sparkling eyes widened, and Percy had to force himself to look away from them. "No," she said, intimidated by Annabeth's plan. The son of Poseidon grew suspicious. Not much intimidated her. "You're not seriously considering—"

"Trust me," the daughter of Athena said.

"You know about children of Zeus and the Graeae," the brunette responded heatedly. "Perseus—"

"Yes, I know," Annabeth interrupted her again. "Thalia, just trust me. They aren't going to be pissed to see you or anything. We'll pay them. They'll take us where we need to be without any trouble."

Graeae? Where had Percy heard that before?

The four of them snuck through the side streets of downtown as the school smoked behind them. Annabeth stopped them on the corner of Thomas and Trimble. She dug through her dirty backpack until she found a drachma.

Before she could do anything with it, the daughter of Zeus reached out and gently grabbed onto her arm. The blonde sent her friend a look of confusion, to which Thalia answered, "I'm worried about you. Are you all right?"

Annabeth flushed. "I'm fine," she threw out shyly, shrugging the other girl off. "I've just had a really hard time getting here."

Thalia breathed in sharply, shooting the son of Poseidon an expression of concern. For one of the first times ever, he understood how she was feeling. She cared for Annabeth greatly, and Wise Girl wasn't looking all too good. There were claw marks in her clothing and she was cut in several places. Percy wanted to hunt down the monsters that dare harm her and teach them a lesson, but he suspected she would have already killed them.

Despite his better instincts, the son of Poseidon couldn't restrain his ADHD. "Annabeth, New York taxi drivers won't take that."

"_Stêthi_," she shouted in Ancient Greek. Thalia gulped, tugging the hem of her bleached jean hoodie nervously. "_Ô hárma diabolês_!"

_Stop, Chariot of Damnation!_ Percy recognized. That certainly didn't sound good. He kind of got why Thalia was looking so unnerved.

Annabeth threw the coin to the asphalt, and it sank through and disappeared. The spot where the drachma had sunken darkened remarkably. A dark burgundy pool formed and bubbled like saliva out of a toddler's mouth. Erupting from the blood red puddle, a car appeared.

Percy had never seen a taxi like that before, as it was so unlike any in New York. It was a bland gray. He kind of expected more extravagance from a car that formed from a pool of blood. He felt like it should have had horns or flames painted on it—something that either screamed _badass _or _white trash_.

Instead, it looked almost transparent. Along the side of the vehicle, distinct script was displayed. It took Percy a while, but he eventually deciphered it.

**GRAY SISTERS**

The son of Poseidon stared aghast at the vehicle. There was no way.

The passenger window rolled down and an old woman popped her head out. She had a greasy mop of gray hair, masking a majority of her face. Her voice resembled that of a slurring drunk, or maybe a delusional dental patient.

"Passage?" she said. "Passage?"

"Four to Camp Half-Blood," the daughter of Athena replied. She opened the back car door and ushered Thalia in. The daughter of Zeus obliged hesitantly, watching where she stepped in a paranoid manner.

"Ach!" the woman screamed, pointing at Tyson. "We don't take his kind!"

"Three more coins upon arrival," Annabeth bargained.

"Done!"

The son of Poseidon made a move to get in, and the blonde demigoddess sneered spitefully. "We may not have enough room. You'd better hurry up and crawl in your _girlfriend's _lap."

Percy glared. He wasn't angered by the idea of Thalia being his girlfriend, but Annabeth's attitude about it pissed him off. Even if they _were _dating, why would she be so hateful towards it? She had tried to do the same thing while they were at camp during the summer. He didn't know why she was doing it, but he didn't like it.

"Listen—" he began, but the daughter of Zeus cut him off.

"Get in the damn car."

"Listen to your girlfriend," Annabeth whispered, her cheeks heated.

He slipped in beside Thalia, pressing his body firmly against hers. "We have to make room," he answered her look of irritation. "Sorry."

She shrugged. "It's cool."

Her scent filled his nostrils and frankly, it was pretty damn distracting. Even if she had traveled all the way from Boston, she didn't smell sweaty. She smelled almost like cool peppermint. He didn't know if she was wearing any perfume, or if that was the way she had always smelled. He hadn't paid much attention to it before.

The daughter of Athena sat next to him, squishing him even further into Thalia. "Why did I pick the window seat?" he heard the brunette mutter. "I'm going to be the first to fly out."

"Fly out?" he asked, catching her off guard. "What do you mean, fly out? I'm sure we won't be going fast enough for that to happen."

"You'll see," she promised grimly with a scoff.

Tyson got in last, shutting the door behind him.

Eventually, Percy's eyes drifted to the front seat. What he saw didn't shock him too much, seeing as he already expected three women to be there. The Gray Sisters. They all looked similar, with the same mop-like hair and identical bony fingers. The three of them were crammed together uncomfortably, much like the four in the backseat.

The sister directly behind the wheel shrieked in delight. "Ha, Long Island! Out-of-metro fare bonus!"

Without warning, she floored the accelerator, sending the demigods and their acquaintance flying forward. Percy and Thalia conked heads, and Annabeth slammed into the headrest. Tyson hit the window, but he seemed perfectly undeterred.

A prerecorded voice—kind of like an advertisement on a radio station—played through the speakers: _Hi, this Ganymede, cupbearer to Zeus, and when I'm out buying wine for the Lord of the Skies, I always buckle up!_

Percy thought he would lighten up the situation and mumbled to Thalia, "I think your dad may be an alcoholic."

Thalia fixed him with narrowed ice blue eyes, and he regretted saying anything at all. He should've suspected that it was a touchy subject for her. He muttered his apology before steadying himself and glancing straight ahead.

The cab raced around a corner and the lady in the middle screamed, "Watch out! Go left!"

The driver growled. "Well, _if _you gave me the eye, Tempest, I could _see _that!"

_Give her the eye?_

Percy hadn't suspected the entirety of the old myths to be true. If they only had one eye, then that meant they only had one—

"Wasp!" the third lady yelled at the driver. "Give me the girl's coin! I want to bite it."

"You bit it last time, Anger!" said the driver—or Wasp, as her sisters had called her. "It's my turn!"

"Is not!" replied Anger.

Tempest, the one in the middle, screeched, "Red light!"

"Brake!" yelled Anger.

Rather than stop, the driver slammed down on the accelerator and drove up on the curb, steered quickly around another corner, and managed to knock into several mailboxes and newspaper stands. Percy felt as if he were about to lose his lunch.

Thalia was pale and clutching the seat, and Annabeth didn't look much better. Tyson looked about ready to wet his pants, and part of Percy feared he would.

"Excuse me," the son of Poseidon said hesitantly. "Can you…see?"

"No!" screamed Wasp.

"No!" echoed Tempest.

The one on the far right, Anger, yelled, "Of course!"

Tyson groaned loudly—a sound that caught the attention of the demigods—and gripped the seat until his hands paled. "Don't feel so good," he panted out.

Percy made a face of disgust. It was never a desired thing for Tyson to throw up. It was horrible. He couldn't count how many times he had been unfortunate enough to see it during a field trip.

"Oh man," the son of Poseidon said. "Hang in there, Big Guy. Anyone have a garbage bag or something?"

The sisters were too busy arguing with one another to bother glancing back. The daughter of Zeus closed her eyes tightly, and Percy had the urge to soothe her. He managed to convince himself not to, as he realized he didn't wish to anger her even further. She was probably still angry about his thoughtless jibe.

Percy glanced to Annabeth. "What made you think this would be a good idea?"

"This is the fastest way to camp!" the girl defended.

"We have had famous people in this cab!" Anger said proudly. "Jason! You remember him? Oh, and Perseus. That dirty, rotten—"

Thalia flinched at the names (although it appeared to be because of the former rather than the latter), sinking even further against his side.

"Don't remind me!" Wasp yelled. "And, we didn't have a car back then, you old bat! That was three thousand years ago."

"Give me the tooth!" Anger exclaimed and reached out to Wasp, but she was swatted away.

"Only if Tempest gives me the eye!"

"No!" Tempest screeched. "You had it yesterday."

"I'm the one driving!"

"Excuses! Turn! That was your turn!"

Wasp swerved onto a street, causing Percy's head to collide with Thalia's shoulder. He realized, inappropriately, that he was beginning to catch up to her height. He was nearly to her chin now.

Wasp slammed on the gas, and the car sailed onto Williamsburg Bridge. Unluckily for the demigods, the three sisters were now participating in an all-out brawl with each other. Anger grasped for Wasp, and Tempest attempted to shield the eye from her sisters. Eventually, Anger managed to grab onto the tooth and yanked it out of her sister's mouth.

Wasp swerved towards the edge of the bridge, yelling, "Give it back, you knucklehead!"

Tyson groaned again, and Percy swore that the whole cab shook.

The son of Poseidon cleared his throat loudly. "Uh, if anyone is interested," he said sarcastically. "We're going to die!"

Thalia shook her head wildly, as if trying to convince herself. "We'll be fine!" she screamed. "Oh, who am I kidding? We're not making it out of this alive!"

"Drama queens!" the daughter of Athena snapped, although she didn't look confident either. "They know what they're doing. They're really wise."

"I'm not so convinced," the daughter of Zeus muttered.

Anger grinned in the rearview mirror, his mossy yellow incisor gleaming. "Yes, wise! We know things!"

"Every street in Manhattan!" Wasp gloated. "The capital of Nepal."

Tempest added, "The location you seek!"

Her sisters nudged her roughly. "Shut up!" they screamed at her. "Be quiet! They didn't even ask yet!"

Thalia leaned forward with newfound interest, the color almost instantly returning to her face. "The location we seek?" she repeated. "Tell us!"

"Children of Zeus, so pushy! So pushy!" Anger reprimanded. "We shall not tell! Would not be so wise of the wise ones, eh?"

"Stop beating around the bush," Thalia commanded, adopting her infamous 'daughter of Zeus' tone. "Tell me!"

"No!" Tempest squealed. "Last time we told…horrible, horrible! Eye lost in the water. It took forever to find! No, no. We will not tell you what you desire!"

"Speaking of the eye," Wasp began. "Give it back!"

"No!"

Wasp started to pummel her sister. She hit her on the back of the head, causing the eye to pop from her face with a sickening _plop!_

The sisters fumbled for it, but only managed to incidentally knock it into the back seat. It landed on Percy's lap, and he threw himself into Annabeth, watching as the eye rolled beside Thalia's foot.

"I can't see!" all of the sisters yelled.

"Give me the eye!" Wasp screamed.

The daughter of Zeus stared down in utter repulsed shock. "I'm not getting near that…that _thing_!"

"Give her the eye!" Annabeth repeated.

The cab slammed against the guardrail and screeched along. Smoke billowed out of the nearly transparent vehicle, as if the car were about to explode.

"Going to be sick!" Tyson warned, his voice surprisingly high.

"Annabeth!" Percy said. "Let Tyson use your backpack!"

"Are you out of your mind? Use Thalia's bag!" the daughter of Athena cried. "And, Thalia, get the freaking eye!"

Wasp yanked on the wheel without warning, causing the car to spin away from the guardrail. They shot towards Brooklyn at the speed of light. The Gray Sisters continued to bully one another, crying out for their eye.

Thalia's mouth twisted in humiliation, before she ripped off a piece of Percy's shirt and leaned down to pick up the eye.

"My nipple!" he cried in protest, and she would've laughed if she weren't already busy trying not to recoil.

The daughter of Zeus picked up the eyeball, and Anger called out nervously, "Good little hero! Now, give it back!"

Thalia made a move to hand it forward, but found herself halted by the son of Poseidon. At her look of confusion, he said, "Gimme, gimme never gets. First, you three are going to explain something to us. What did you mean, the location we seek?"

"No time!" Tempest argued. "Accelerating!"

Sure enough, a glance out of the window affirmed her statement. Everything around them was a gray blur. They had exited Brooklyn, and were now shooting towards the middle of Long Island.

"They can't find our destination without the eye," Annabeth said. "Guys, just give it to them."

"Annie," Thalia said, her voice firm and leaving no room for argument. "We need to know what they're talking about. Percy is right."

"Of course you two would agree with each other," the daughter of Athena mumbled bitterly. "Out of all the things you could possibly choose to agree on…"

"Tell us what we need to know," Percy threatened, ignoring Annabeth's comments, "or Thalia will throw the eye out into traffic."

"No!" one of the sisters—Percy wasn't sure which one—yelled. "Too dangerous!"

"Thalia, roll down the window."

"Wait!" the Gray Sisters screamed together. "30, 31, 75, 12!"

The numbers seemed to click in Thalia's brain, and she extended her arm to hand Wasp the eye. "Hold on!" Percy said. "What does that mean?"

"That's all we can say! Hand it over!"

Camp was within sight. Percy spotted Thalia's tree at the top of the hill. He remembered what the girls had said earlier. Something bad had happened to it. He couldn't wait to find out what it was.

Thalia let the eye drop into the driving sister's lap. Wasp snatched it up and popped it into her eye socket and blinked.

"Whoa!" she shouted, and slammed on the brakes.

The taxi spun rapidly a good number of times and screeched on the farm road. It came to a halt eventually, and Percy noticed that they were now directly downhill from Camp Half-Blood.

Tyson burped loudly, and the daughter of Zeus made a fake gagging motion. Percy recalled something she had mentioned the summer before about hating belching. He didn't necessarily share her hatred, but even he had to agree that Tyson's burp had been pretty gross.

"All right," the son of Poseidon cleared the silence. "Now, tell me what those numbers mean."

"We don't have time for that!" the blonde demigoddess announced. "We have to get out _now_!"

Percy was about to ask why, but then he heard Thalia throw open the cab door. She slung her duffel bag about ten feet into the grass and pulled him out. Tyson and Annabeth piled out after them, and the cap dissipated back into the ground.

"What was the big rush?" Percy asked. "I don't—"

"Kelp Head, look, would you?" the daughter of Zeus asked, pointing towards her tree.

The dark-haired demigod let his attention be directed, and his eyes widened. His fingers tensed around Riptide, before he swiftly uncapped it. It shimmered into his trusted bronze sword, and he stared grimly about the crest of the hill.

Fire-breathing bulls were attempting to fight their way past the camp's boundaries, and few campers were fighting to hold them back.


	5. Rumor Has It

**A/N: Yay, the next chapter is up. Kings of Olympus is going to be updated very soon, as I am almost finished with the next chapter. Just a little update. Anyway, hope you all enjoy, and please review!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own PJO, Frank Sinatra, the Beatles, or the Ed Sullivan Show. What a combination.**

* * *

**Rumor Has It**

Upon seeing the bull automatons, Thalia was reminded of the Minotaur who had bested her nearly a year before. She had to admit, if only to herself, that these creatures were much more intimidating. There were two of them, and they stood as high as rhinos. Fire spiraled from their split bronze lips, and the daughter of Zeus was grateful for Tyson being present.

Percy raised his sword as if to charge, but then he remained in place, his messy dark hair washing away from his forehead. His tie-dye gym shirt was nearly in shreds, no thanks to Thalia generously revealing his nipple earlier on. On the bright side, she thought he had nice nipples—

_Stop being gross!_

The daughter of Zeus fought off a blush, and instead directed her attention to her old friend, Annabeth. The blonde carried nothing but her backpack and her knife, which she had recently drawn. Thalia dug Thunderbird from her jacket and pressed down on its notch. She twirled the bronze sword before setting herself into an offensive position.

"Oh, man," the daughter of Athena said, observing the battle taking place on Half-Blood Hill.

"Looks like you were right about your pine, Muse," the son of Poseidon commented, frowning. She followed his gaze, only to discover that the bulls were having absolutely no trouble at all maneuvering around the hill—namely, within camp boundaries.

Rather than snap at him for calling her a Muse (try as she might, she wasn't a comedian), Thalia tightened her grip on her sword's hilt, narrowing her eyes into vicious azure slits. Her dream had not only been horrifying, it had surely been prophetic as well. Luke Castellan—the very boy she had previously coined a hero and fateful friend—had, in fact, poisoned her tree.

It was enough to make her flush crimson in anger. She wasn't sure he had noticed her existence the day he fled from camp. If he hadn't, then he had knowingly poisoned _her_. On the opposite hand, even if he had seen her, the damaging of the tree was affecting her.

One of the campers—clad in modernized bronze armor—shouted to the rest of the heroes, "Border patrol, to me!"

It was obviously a girl's voice, but the rough tone suggested that she definitely wasn't average. Thalia realized that she recognized the voice. Clarisse La Rue lodged the blade of her electric spear into the shoulder of one of the large automatons.

"Clarisse," Percy stated, somehow managing to keep his voice neutral.

During her summer stay at camp, the daughter of Zeus had quickly caught onto a few things. For one, Clarisse and a few of her siblings walked around as if they simply owned the camp and everyone in it. When a son of the Big Three arrived—Percy, that is—that had slightly changed.

At Camp Half-Blood, demigods were arranged by their parentage. Unsurprisingly, rank was influenced greatly by a subject's godly background. Children of the more powerful gods often got far more privileges, whether Chiron wanted to admit it or not. The centaur would surely deny such claims, but this had always been the way of the Greeks.

There were no cabins for minor gods, for instance. Any god that didn't reside within the council didn't have a place in camp. Cabins of the strongest gods—Zeus, Poseidon, Hera, Athena, and so on—were built grander than those of Demeter, Dionysus, or Aphrodite.

Thalia felt like that wasn't very fair.

Clarisse and her friends had been intimidated when Percy had been claimed. Even though he didn't quite realize it, he had more strength in the camp than La Rue and her goons. He had reliable friends, impressive sword-wielding ability, and he was one of the top counselors. Also, he had fought her father at Santa Monica Beach…and won. Thalia understood why Clarisse wouldn't like his presence very much.

The daughter of Ares didn't seem very upset by Thalia, though, which was excessively confusing. The punk didn't mean to toot her own horn, but it was no secret that she was one of the strongest demigods. Why wasn't Clarisse bullying her? The girl acted as if she was unaffected by Thalia, and had ignored her in the past. Was she not worth envying? She had fought Ares, too!

For Olympus sake, she was the daughter of freaking Zeus. According to the ways of old, that should have given her a little leverage. Thalia wanted Clarisse and the rest of the fearless "leaders" of the camp to treat her like they should—as a threat. The dark-haired demigoddess wanted to be feared. She wished to intimidate her peers. Thalia couldn't help it; she strived to be better.

She didn't want praise, necessarily. There were several occasions where she would find herself bombarded by young campers, begging her to hang out with them or teach them how to wield their weaponry. Newsflash: the only things she knew how to operate best were swords, spears, and shields. Anything beyond those weren't really her forte.

To summarize, Thalia didn't favor the way some of the demigods practically stalked her. Almost every other camper followed her around like some kind of savior. She knew it had to be because of her parentage. She had never performed any heroic tasks around any of them. They just assumed she must be some kind of legend.

She wasn't.

"We have to help her," the son of Poseidon decided, causing both of his closest friends to glance at him incredulously. "What? She's barely staying alive up there."

"It was just surprising," Annabeth remarked, sighing. "You don't like her very much. But, let's not dwell on it. Come on, guys!"

The three of them charged up the hill, Tyson hurrying behind them. The warriors ahead of them were scattered around, each of them attempting to flee from the battle. Fire raced across the grassy hill, spiraling around the base of the great pine. The heroes, along with their armor, were in horrible shape. Their breastplates were charred, and one camper ran around with the plume of his helmet on fire.

Clarisse wasn't fending much better. Her now broken spear shaft was all she had left to defend herself with, as the blade end had not slid out of the bull's shoulder.

"Tyson," Percy said, stopping in place. The girls reluctantly halted their sprinting to glance back. "Stay here. I don't want you taking any more chances."

Thalia rolled her eyes. Did he seriously not realize Tyson was a freaking Cyclops?

"No!" the daughter of Athena exclaimed. "We need him."

Percy stared at her blankly. "He's mortal," he insisted. "He got lucky with the dodge balls—"

"Percy, do you know what those are up there? The Colchis bulls, made by Hephaestus himself. We can't fight them without Medea's Sunscreen SPF 50,000. We'll get burned to a crisp."

The Colchis bulls? The daughter of Zeus looked back to the hill. Well, that would certainly make sense. Why hadn't she realized it? Maybe it was because she had never heard of them. Sometimes, she wished this whole "being-a-sacrificing-yet-clueless-hero" thing came with a manual.

"Medea's _what_?"

The daughter of Athena dug through her bag, and then cursed loudly. "I had a jar of tropical coconut scent sitting on my nightstand—"

"Look," the son of Poseidon interrupted, sounding rather irritated. "I don't know what you're talking about, but I'm not about to let Tyson get fried."

"Percy," Annabeth warned, her voice nearly scaring Thalia out of the boy's underwear she was wearing. What? She thought they were freaking _comfortable. _

"Tyson, stay back," Percy said, racing up the hill again.

Without questioning anything else, the daughter of Zeus followed closely behind him. It wasn't long before she had sped past him, her blade at-the-ready. They headed for Clarisse, who was trying in vain to arrange what little capable campers left into a phalanx formation.

Thalia could tell already that it wasn't going to work. Her mind scanned the different Ancient Greek formations she knew of. She may have never read up on her myths, but she had always been interested in warfare and historical events.

Annabeth raced to the front, fooled one of the bulls into chasing her, and then tossed her invisibility cap on. The automaton was instantly confused. The other bull, unfortunately, headed for Clarisse's line of six.

The daughter of Zeus reached the top of the hill before Percy. Although she was an exceptionally fast runner (typically, anyway), she couldn't match the bull in speed. It was to the line in the blink of an eye, and unhinged its bronze mouth. A column of searing white flame funneled out of the creature, aiming for the armor-clad heroes.

"Hold the line!" the daughter of Ares ordered.

Clarisse, the brave warrior she was, stood her ground and held strong against the blast. Rather depressingly, the other bull had quickly lost interest in chasing the invisible girl, and headed for the line. It charged out of Clarisse's line of sight, and the daughter of Zeus pushed herself to run even faster.

"La Rue!" Thalia screamed, willing her warning to reach the other girl's attention.

Unfortunately, the girl wasn't very quick to catch on. Her call seemed to shake Clarisse, and the daughter of Ares was taken off guard by the bull in front of her and flung onto her back. The formation, without its main component, broke.

After the bull smoldered the shields of the others, the demigods fled like cowards, leaving Clarisse on her own. The second automaton made for the kill, but Percy managed to pull the girl away by the charred straps of her armor. He dragged her away, as the daughter of Zeus flung herself into the bull's sight.

Thalia ducked and rolled to the bull's left, managing to slash at its flank with Thunderbird. To her disappointment, it didn't cease in its conquest and turned to pursue her. While lunging beneath the bull, the daughter of Zeus caught sight of Annabeth instructing the other half-bloods to reform.

In the time it took her to leap back onto her feet, the bull had already spun back around and swiped at her. Bronze collided with her shoulder, sending her flying a good distance away. Thalia landed in a heap next to Percy and Clarisse.

"Wake up, Sparky," the daughter of Ares commanded. Thalia felt the other girl mockingly slap her cheek.

Thalia peered up from the ground to see the girl laying back against the trunk of the pine, gripping one of her numerous wounds. If she squinted enough, she could make out the blood leaking through Clarisse's clasped fingers.

Jumping to her feet, she followed Percy's lead back into the center of the hill. Both of the bulls charged towards the brunette demigods.

"Will Aegis help?" he shouted to her.

"Doubt it," she replied briskly.

Glancing around at the groaning, injured half-bloods, she found herself at a loss. If enough of them were capable she would be able to reorganize them but, despite Annabeth's encouragements, they weren't looking too good.

Suddenly, it hit her like a freight train.

"Clarisse! Annabeth!" she yelled, rolling away from white-hot flames. Her body tingled, and her ears rang from the heat around them. "Are you able to fight?"

The daughter of Ares struggled to her feet, but eagerly stumbled over to the children of the Big Three. Annabeth slid off her cap and tucked it into the back of her jeans, aligning herself up next to Percy.

"What next?" the son of Poseidon questioned, as they all just barely managed to escape another breath of fire.

The bulls distanced themselves, probably due to the fact that they wanted to gain more momentum on their next attack.

"Rhombus formation," the daughter of Zeus announced. "I'll be ilarches. Percy will be ouragos, and you girls take the left and right angles."

Annabeth's gray eyes widened to the size of spaceships. "Rhombus! Are you out of your mind? We don't have anyone else to fill the formation! We'll need at least seven people."

Clarisse nodded, lining herself to the right angle. Percy set himself in the back, and Thalia rushed to the foreground. Grumbling, the daughter of Athena made her way into her position.

"I hope you know what you're doing," the blonde muttered, tightening her grip on her celestial bronze dagger. "I don't know how the hell we're supposed to alternate stations, but whatever."

At a great distance away, the bulls turned and rapidly charged in their direction once again. They got to the demigods sooner than expected.

Thalia raised her sword to the air and shouted, summoning lightning from the scarcely clouded sky. It ran the length of her blade before she slashed at the first bull, sending electrical currents across its bronze body. Annabeth attacked with her knife, coming from the automaton's left.

The bull blew fire in the blonde's direction, but her position allowed her to flip back quickly enough. Clarisse and Percy took on the other bull, and they seemed to be having a good amount of success. That is, until the son of Poseidon was forced to dive under a column of fire.

He cried out soon after, gripping his obviously injured ankle. Thalia looked towards him in panic, but found herself roughly tackled to the ground. Annabeth straddled her waist, tucking her blonde head of hair beneath Thalia's chin. Flames shot out just above them, and the daughter of Zeus realized that Annabeth had saved her.

Annabeth had surely saved her hide before, but Thalia could still remember a time when she had been the one the younger girl relied on. Part of her wondered if the daughter of Athena still relied on her. She would certainly hope so. Despite the few trifles they had gotten into together, she cared for the blonde.

Thalia switched their positions, flipping the daughter of Athena onto her back. Annabeth cried out in surprise, but the brunette pulled off of her and slashed the automaton with her sword. From the corner of her eye, she saw that Annabeth was scrambling back to her feet and getting to her position.

Swiftly spinning into towards the bull's blindside, Clarisse rammed the end of her spear into the back of its bronze leg. It seemed to malfunction, lightning continuing to coarse through its form. The bull raced aimlessly about the hill, falling apart bit-by-bit.

"Percy needs help!" Tyson screamed, catching the attention of the standing demigods.

The son of Poseidon gripped his ankle in pain, his face contorting as the second bull made to charge at him.

Annabeth grimaced. "I, Annabeth Chase, give you permission to enter camp!"

"What are you doing?" Clarisse bellowed in slight outrage.

Thunder shook the hillside, and Thalia fixed a panicked gaze on Percy. It was too late. No of them would be fast enough to intercept the automaton. If the son of Poseidon didn't manage to get out of the way on his own, he'd be run through.

Just as a volley of flames erupted from the bull's mouth, Tyson stopped in front of Percy.

"Tyson, no!" the dark-haired demigod yelled in protest.

Fire danced around the Cyclops, but his form could easily be deciphered through the cloud. The flames died back quicker than they should've, and Tyson stood there angrily. His tattered clothes were still as intact as they had been previously, and he looked completely unharmed. The only different thing about the Cyclops was the fact that he was now infuriated.

He balled his meaty fists and slammed them into the bull's face. "Bad cow!"

_Brown chicken brown cow, _Thalia sang immaturely in her head.

The automaton's face gave out beneath the powerful blow, and an impressive crater of a dent was the result. Instead of shooting out of its mouth, fire billowed from the creature's ears. With another punch, the bronze face was reduced to crumpled paper.

"Down!" the young Cyclops said.

Staggering, the automaton fell onto its back.

The demigods surrounded the son of Poseidon, Thalia in the very front. She offered him a hand, and he gladly accepted. When he winced in pain, the daughter of Zeus strung his arm around her shoulders and leaned further down.

Annabeth frowned. "Sure you aren't too tall to be helping him walk?"

Thalia panted in exhaustion. The fight had proved rather tiring, and she was extremely upset that the Rhombus formation had lasted for a few minutes before it failed. She didn't like to fail.

"Nectar," she ordered, ignoring the blonde's earlier statement.

The fair-haired demigoddess dug a canteen from her backpack and pressed it up to Percy's lips. "I can drink," he admitted, smiling almost shyly. Annabeth blushed, and handed him the container. "Thank you," he said, after he had finished.

Smoke filled Thalia's nostrils and she sniffed suspiciously, glancing around. Was one of the bulls on fire? She hadn't seen any smoke at all.

The son of Poseidon scowled. "That's me you smell."

_Oh._

Clarisse pulled off her helmet. Her brown hair was pulled into a sloppy ponytail, and her bangs were matted to her forehead. She appeared as if she were about to scold them all, but then her expression slowly morphed into one of apathy.

"If you losers will excuse me, I have wounded campers to attend to," she growled, pushing past the four of them. She flashed Tyson a look of disgust as she passed by.

Thalia raised a dark eyebrow. That had been the first time that the daughter of Ares had bothered to insult her. It was strange, but she felt almost honored.

"The least she could've done was thanked us," the son of Poseidon huffed, leaning more of his body weight onto her. Gods, what had he been eating lately? He was growing like crazy. Percy looked at Tyson wearily. "You didn't die."

Tyson flushed, turning his gaze to the ground. "I am sorry. Broke your rules. Disobeyed you."

The daughter of Athena sighed. "My fault," she claimed, setting her hands firmly on her hips. "I permitted him to enter camp. You needed help."

Thalia felt a familiar bitterness rise in her chest. This was the same type of creature that had been her downfall. Grover had led them into a trap—unintentionally, of course. A Cyclops had fooled them all. It had even taken the voice of her precious baby brother in order to lure her into its cave.

Scoffing, she allowed her lips to drift into a haughty smirk. "I hardly think one of his kind—"

Annabeth brutally nudged her, causing her to bump roughly into Percy.

"Fuck, Annie," Thalia snapped. "What's your problem lately?"

The blonde turned the other way, refusing the face the daughter of Zeus. Thalia wanted to scream and force the other girl to look at her, but she just barely managed to contain herself.

"Wait," the son of Poseidon cut in. "What do you mean by his kind? You had to permit him in?"

Annabeth grumbled to herself. "Just look at him, Percy. Look past the Mist."

Percy slowly turned to look up at his Cyclops friend, beginning to trail his gaze up Tyson's form. His green eyes widened in surprise, and his jaw would've hit the floor if it weren't connected to the rest of his body.

"Tyson…" he trailed off, as if in awe. "You're a…"

"Cyclops," the daughter of Athena filled in. "A young one, it seems. He had trouble getting over the border on his own, and he's one of the homeless ones."

Percy looked to Thalia for a clearer explanation.

"They're usually in a lot of big cities," the dark-haired demigoddess translated. "Detroit, Los Angeles…Brooklyn. To word it crudely, they aren't exactly wanted. They're mistakes, and their parents leave them without aid."

Annabeth nodded. "Children of nature spirits…and one god, in particular. They usually don't come out right. They grow up wild, with no supplies or place to dwell. I don't know how this Cyclops managed to find you, but he seems to favor you. We should see Chiron immediately."

"But, the fire—"

"Does not hurt," Tyson answered before Annabeth could answer yet again.

"They are immune to it," the daughter of Athena snidely elaborated. "They work in forges."

Before anything more could be said, a limping camper approached the group. Connor Stoll removed his helmet, wiping soot from his cheek.

"Hey, Thalia," he remarked, grinning although he looked rather pained.

Percy stiffened next to the daughter of Zeus, but she brushed it off and sent Connor a small smile. "Hey, Con Man."

The nickname just slipped out before she could stop herself. It was what she often called her cousin Connie. Her mind flashed back to her family. Boy, they were going to be absolutely livid when she returned…if she did return. She felt iffy about this trip to camp, although she couldn't begin to fathom why.

The son of Hermes smiled even wider. "Clarisse said we need to try and carry the wounded to the Big House. Tantalus needs to know what happened."

Tantalus. Surely, it wasn't the one she was thinking of.

"Tantalus?" Percy asked.

Connor nodded slowly. He shifted more of his weight onto his uninjured leg. "He's the new activities director."

"What?" Thalia asked numbly, her fingers beginning to fiddle with Aegis. If there was a new director that meant…

"Chiron is…out of the question," the son of Hermes answered, worry evident in his tone. "Argus was fired. A lot of things have changed. You three have a lot of catching up to do."

"Chiron can't be gone!" Percy snapped. "What happened?"

Connor sighed, flashing Thalia a look of pity before turning to glance at her pine tree. "_That _happened."

The pine looked even worse than it had in her dream. Its needles had faded to a dreary yellow, and it was shedding them rapidly. In the dead center of the tree trunk, the achingly sinister mark ate away at the weakened bark. Green sap leaked from the hole, and Thalia saw flashes of her nightmare. Luke. Luke had done this. She didn't want to believe it, but she couldn't rightfully lie to herself about something so undeniable.

"Someone poisoned it," Percy said in recognition, nodding. "We already knew that. But, what does that have to do with Chiron and Argus?"

The son of Hermes met Thalia's eyes, and she got the message. There was a lurking suspicion that Chiron or Argus had something to do with the poisoning. How she knew this from just one look, she didn't honestly know. But, what else could it have been about?

Thalia frowned, allowing depression to break through the typically rough surface of her face. "It's my fault."

Annabeth reached out for her free hand, weaving their fingers together. She gave it a firm squeeze, her eyes lowering. "You didn't poison the tree, Thalia. I'm not sure what this has to do with Chiron, but it can't be your fault."

Connor sighed tiredly. "Come on, guys," he said. "We need to get to camp."

When they all reached the other side of the hill, Thalia took in her surroundings. Counselors and satyrs were transporting weaponry back in forth, tree spirits and dryads were actually armed and talking hurriedly on the edge of the woods, and the grassy land around them was slowly withering. It seemed that the poison had affected the plant-life within the boundaries as well.

For once, camp didn't feel like home.

Percy, Thalia, Annabeth, and Tyson made their way to the Big House. Connor had already hurried off to check up on his twin brother Travis.

The daughter of Zeus didn't let the concern show on her face as she watched the bustling campers. The camp sort of reminded her of a military academy she had been forced to attend when she was around eight years old. She believed it was named after one of the presidents. Thalia never really paid attention. But, the school had been strict. Contrary to its intention, it made her act out even more and she eventually got booted for misconduct.

Tyson, unlike the others, looked around in amazement. "What's that?" he would question about everything he saw.

"The stables for the pegasai," Percy answered dutifully, although he was exhausted. He was finally able to walk on his own, as the nectar had performed its job. But, he still had a slight limp.

"What's that?"

Thalia laughed, and the daughter of Athena simply smirked. Honestly, if she knew that Cyclops could be this enjoyable—

_No, _she reprimanded herself. _He is a Cyclops, and he is a monster. _

"Um, those are toilets."

Tyson gasped, but Percy already answered before the Cyclops could ask a question. "Those are the cabins for the campers," the son of Poseidon responded, almost sounding irritated. "If someone isn't claimed, they are placed in the Hermes cabin."

The Cyclops looked at them all in shock. "You…have cabins?"

"Number three," Percy said proudly.

Thalia yawned. "Numero uno."

Annabeth refused to answer. The daughter of Zeus couldn't blame her, really. She was surprised that she even bothered to say anything to the Cyclops. Honestly, it made her feel a bit uncomfortable. She wasn't used to talking with monsters in a friendly manner, and it didn't feel right.

"You have friends with you?" Tyson glanced between the two children of the Big Three.

"No," Percy admitted. "Thalia and I don't have any siblings."

Her heart constricted in her chest at the thought of Jason. She didn't have a sibling anymore. It hurt to think, but she hadn't quite processed the information before. In her mind, she always imagined him with her. Sometimes, it was if he had never vanished. He had never died. It was so easy to forget something she didn't particularly want to remember.

Thalia thought about the gods' reasoning for creating the Big Three Pact. They liked to tell demigods that it was because of the events of World War II. Children of the Big Three had caused it, after all. But, the reason ran deeper than that. As far as she knew, only a few people and the Olympians knew of the Great Prophecy.

She had never heard it before, but her father and mother had told her of it. All she knew was that a child of the Big Three would turn eighteen, and they would make a decision that would either destroy or save the gods. She would be lying if she claimed she was excited for it.

They entered the Big House and found Chiron in his apartment. He was hunched over his bed, throwing together full saddlebags. Familiar music played over his boom box, and Thalia recognized it as Frank Sinatra. While other demigods made fun of the centaur for his music, the daughter of Zeus had grown up with her mother playing it constantly. It didn't really bother her.

Tyson grinned, showing off his scraggly peanut butter teeth. "Pony!"

Chiron turned around, looking a little peeved. "I beg your pardon?"

Annabeth ran up and hugged the centaur. "Chiron, what's happening? We heard you were leaving."

Thalia, hearing the way her friend's voice crack, reached out and rubbed the other girl soothingly on the back.

The centaur smiled warmly, ruffling her hair. "Hello, my dear," he greeted. "Percy, I see you have grown over the winter. And, Thalia! Get any taller, and you'll tower over the young Cyclops."

Thalia didn't like hearing that very much, but she stayed silent.

"Conner told us," Percy announced. "Why…?"

Chiron's eyes darkened noticeably. "Someone had to take the blame, dear boy. Lord Zeus was quite livid, as you can imagine." He glanced to the god's daughter. "It is rumored that you have been experiencing effects of the poison as well. Mr. D had to punish someone in order to appease your father."

Percy glowered. "Besides himself, you mean."

"This is insane," Annabeth cried. "You couldn't have poisoned the tree. Thalia, he wouldn't have done this to you!"

"I know," the daughter of Zeus affirmed with a nod. She was about to reveal that it had been Luke, but held herself back. If Annabeth found out—especially this way—it would tear her to pieces.

"Some in Olympus do not trust me now, given the circumstances," Chiron said, sighing in defeat.

"What circumstances?" Either Percy or Annabeth asked.

Thalia wasn't paying very much attention anymore. She found herself staring at the small television, watching as Ed Sullivan smiled in the camera, introducing the Beatles. The band began to play, and the song echoed in the back of her mind. She had heard it somewhere before, but she wasn't sure where. Her mother had been born around that time, so it could have been played when Thalia was a child.

Shaking her mental train off of its track, she tuned back into the conversation taking place around her.

"The poison was from the Underworld, children," Chiron was saying. "Venom even I have never seen. It must have come from a monster quite deep in the pits of Tartarus."

"Then we know who is responsible. Kron—"

"Do not speak the Titan Lord's name, Percy. Not here, not now," the centaur warned.

Percy flushed red in anger. "He tried to start a civil war amongst the Olympians last summer. This _has _to be his idea. He must have gotten Luke to do it."

Thalia pointedly glanced away, but continued to listen to the conversation.

Chiron shook his head. "I have been blamed because I did not prevent it, and I cannot cure it. The tree itself has only a few weeks of life left. After that, only the gods know what will happen to our dear Thalia. The camp boundaries will be no more. Unless…"

"Unless?" Annabeth prompted.

The centaur shook his head again. "No," he said. "A foolish thought. The entire valley is feeling the shock of the poison. Soon, the magical boundaries will be no more. The camp is dying. Only one source of magic would be powerful enough to reverse the poison, but it was lost long ago."

"What is it?" Thalia asked suddenly, causing everyone else in the room to glance over at her. "We'll find it," she said, determined.

Chiron closed his saddlebag, clicked off his boom box, and turned around the face the demigods. "Percy, Thalia, you must promise me that you will not act rashly. I told Ms. Jackson that I did not wish either of you to come to camp this summer. But, now that you are both here, you must stay. _Train. _You must prepare. But do not, under any conditions, leave."

"Chiron," Thalia stated firmly, clenching her jaw. "I can't just sit here. You know the poison has been affecting me. If the tree dies—if my tree dies—what will become of me? The boundaries will go down, and we'll have one less strong fighter. We need to press every advantage we have in order to protect this camp. I'm not about to sit back and watch."

"I want to do something," Percy decided, nodding in agreement. "We can't let the borders fall. We can't sit around and see what happens to Thalia. The whole camp—"

"Overrun by monsters?" Chiron guessed. "Yes, I fear so. But, you two shall not allow yourselves to be baited into irrational action! This could easily be some kind of ploy. Last summer, Percy, the Titan Lord nearly took your life. Or, have you forgotten?"

"Irrational action?" Thalia repeated. "It's necessary action."

"I beg to differ, dear girl," the centaur said. "The two of you act rashly. Perhaps a family trait?"

Thunder rumbled.

Annabeth's eyes watered, and she subtly clung to the side of Thalia's jean jacket. A tear slipped past her eyelid and ran down the length of her sun-kissed cheek. Without thinking about it, the daughter of Zeus quickly wiped it away.

Chiron eyed the blonde sadly. "Keep these two safe, child," he said to her. "Heed the prophecy."

"I—I will."

"Would this be the super dangerous prophecy that has everyone stressing about Thalia and me?" Percy said.

Silence.

"Right," he said, sighing. "Just checking."

"Chiron," the daughter of Athena began timidly. "You said the gods made you immortal for as long as you train heroes. If they dismiss you from the camp—"

"Swear you will do your very best to keep these children out of danger," he said, effectively cutting her off. "Swear upon the River Styx."

"I—I swear it upon the River Styx," the blonde muttered, her fingers tightening on Thalia's jacket.

Thunder rumbled for the third time that day, and the daughter of Zeus was beginning to think that it was actually her stomach. She hadn't eaten in forever.

"Very well," the centaur said, relieved. "Perhaps, if my name is cleared, I will return. Until that day, I shall live with my kinsmen in the Everglades. It is very possible that their knowledge of poison far surpasses that of mine. In any event, I shall remain in exile until this matter is resolved…one way or another."

Annabeth buried her face in Thalia's shirt, stifling a sob. She ran her hand up and down the blonde's back. The younger demigoddess looked as if she wished to reach out and envelop the centaur, but she appeared to be holding herself back.

"I entrust your safety to the new activity director Mr. D has hired," Chiron said.

"Who is this Tantalus guy, anyway?" Percy asked, scowling. "Where does he get off taking your job?"

The conch horn sounded through the camp, signaling the start of dinner.

"Go," the centaur commanded. "You will meet him during dinner. Percy, I will contact your mother and let her know you're safe. Just heed my warning, children. You are both in grave danger." His wise brown eyes met Thalia's. "I have no doubt in my mind that the Titan Lord knows of your existence. And, he has not forgotten you, Percy."

He trotted out of the apartment.

"Pony!" Tyson called after him. "Don't go!"

The Cyclops began to bawl, and Thalia distanced Annabeth and herself as the son of Poseidon attempted to comfort the monster.

The daughter of Athena pulled away from the taller girl's shirt, but peered up at her with reddened eyes. "Thalia, what are we going to do?"

Thalia glanced at Chiron's retreating form, watching as the centaur sadly galloped away. She hated to see their trainer go, and she had a feeling she was going to loathe his replacement with a fire red. Her unfocused blue eyes locked onto gray.

"I don't know," she answered honestly, wishing she could have said more. "First comes first, though. We need to get to dinner. I'm freaking starving."

Annabeth swatted her, but released a little laugh. "All you think about is food."

"And world peril," Thalia deadpanned.

The three demigods and the Cyclops walked out of the Big House, and headed towards the pavilion. Thalia couldn't wait to meet their new obnoxious activities director. If he was who she expected, he wasn't going to be too pleasant.


	6. Private Displays of Affection

**A/N: I have honestly shocked myself. This chapter contains detailed, slightly mature sexual themes. Between Percy and Thalia; don't worry, nothing kinky like Grover and Tantalus. That thought is my most disturbing, by far. **

**Moving on, the series is going to grow more mature as it progresses, but there will probably be no sex in this story in particular. There is a specific reason for Percy and Thalia jumping the gun and engaging in nearly sexual activity, and it will be referenced further on. Or, you can choose to blame it on teenage demigodly hormones. Your choice, really.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters or the original story, you all know that.**

* * *

**Private Displays of Affection**

The three demigods leaned against a massive, shadowed marble column, watching as the different cabins headed into the dining pavilion. The young Cyclops stood close to the son of Poseidon, still gazing in wonder at the camp. Annabeth spotted her cabin mates and wished her friends goodbye before leading her siblings to their table.

Clarisse and the rest of the Ares cabin marched past the three remaining figures. Seeing a piece of paper on the larger girl's back, Thalia reached forward and swiftly pulled it off. The daughter of Ares stopped in place and glared, her arm looking extremely uncomfortable in its cast. Her scarred face rippled when her expression morphed into one of anger.

Without bothering to say anything, she stormed her way through the pavilion.

"What do you imagine that look was for?" the daughter of Zeus asked.

Percy shrugged, looking slightly distressed. "I wouldn't know."

Charles Beckendorf—who Thalia learned preferred his last name over 'Charlie'—led the Hephaestus cabin. Afterwards, some of the other cabins began piling in. Apollo, Demeter, Aphrodite. Naiads surfaced and Dryads peeled away from their trees.

Eventually, the daughter of Zeus spotted a friendly face. Connor Stoll, alongside his brother Travis, walked the Hermes cabin into the dining pavilion.

The two of them always got mad whenever Thalia referred to them as twins, but they might as well have been. The Stoll brothers were relatively tall and slim, walking around with the bodies of track stars. Mahogany spirals sprung from the top of their heads, and they donned perpetually mischievous smiles and pointy ears like the rest of their siblings. Luke had the same sarcastic smile, Thalia recalled almost wistfully.

Percy cleared his throat, gesturing to Thalia. "Why don't you go ahead first?"

The daughter of Zeus shrugged. "Okay."

Thalia jogged over to her table and took a seat, and smiled at the wood nymph that instantly brought her a plate of steamed asparagus and steak. She almost dug right in before she heard someone hiss behind her. She turned to see Annabeth eyeing her harshly—a clear sign that a lecture was looming in the near future.

"Your offering," the daughter of Athena hinted quietly, raising a blonde brow.

Thalia knew she looked stupid. "Oh."

Rushing up to the brazier, she scraped a delicious portion of her steak into the flames along with the freshest asparagus.

"Zeus," she murmured, "accept my offering."

_And try and keep that thing you call a wife away from me, for the love of Rhea._

Thunder rumbled, but the refreshing scent of lavender and pomegranate filled the air nonetheless. Sighing, Thalia made her way back to her bench and took a seat. She took the first bite of her steak and summoned a goblet of grape juice before she managed to overhear a conversation taking place.

Percy was talking to Dionysus and…who looked to be the new activities director. His graying hair was choppy, and his eyes lifeless. He wore the standard prison jumpsuit, although it was extremely baggy on his form. He was slender—excessively so—and his face was gaunt.

Thalia watched on as the director reached for a goblet, only to have it scoot violently away from his hand. A full plate of mouth-watering barbeque shot away from him, flying into the bronze brazier. The daughter of Zeus slowed her chewing, coming to the conclusion that her earlier assessment had been correct.

Their new activities director was Tantalus, a haunted spirit from the Fields of Punishment.

Why on Gaia's green earth would Dionysus think it a good idea to invite a criminal to instruct them? The idea of it was absurd, and Thalia failed to see any sense in it at all. She didn't recall the myth of Tantalus, but she knew he sinned unforgivably. Whatever he did, his punishment most likely suited him.

Percy trudged to take his plate to the flames, and glumly made his way back to Poseidon's table. Thalia's brow furrowed in concern as she studied him. He looked worn, confused, and above all irritated. She almost made a move to join him on his lonely bench, figuring there was no sense in being lonely, but then she remembered that Chiron wasn't there. The wise centaur was the only instructor that would have allowed her to get away with doing something so drastic.

A satyr blew the conch horn at command, and Tantalus slowly stood from his seat.

"Yes, well," he began, his cold and unfeeling eyes scanning the hesitant faces of the demigods before him. "Yet another fine meal, I am told. Here on my first day in authority, I must say that it is a rather pleasant punishment—compared to the horror I was previously subjected to. I hope to…instruct you children over the course of Spring Break."

Dionysus applauded, resulting in the some of the satyrs following his polite example. It was then that Thalia's eyes drifted over to Tyson, who stood shyly. For a brief moment, she almost pitied the Cyclops.

Tantalus flashed a killer grin. "As my first move as director, I will have the chariot races reinstituted."

The campers began to chatter in disbelief, their voices filling the pavilion. The daughter of Zeus paled. She wasn't liked by horses, the creatures created by her father's rival Poseidon. Her competitive attitude won out eventually, and her eyes narrowed in determination. Horses didn't like many of the gods' offspring. If the other demigods could overcome it, so could she.

"Yes, yes. I am fully aware of the cancelation of such activities many years ago, due to some…technical difficulties."

"Three deaths and twenty-nine mutilations, not to mention the horses," a son of Apollo called out.

"But, I know you all will welcome the old tradition!" the director exclaimed. "Golden laurels shall go to the winners, and they will have no chores for the entire month in which they are victorious! Teams may register in the morning, and the race will take place in three days. You must prepare your own chariots and horses, and Dionysus and I will gladly excuse you from your daily activities in order to do so."

Once again, conversation erupted in the pavilion. Every camper was excited, and for good reason. No chores for a month? That sounded like paradise for a demigod.

Clarisse stood. "But, sir! What about patrol duty? If we drop all of our responsibilities, what will we do to ensure the safety of the camp?"

"Ah, the hero of the day. Brave Clarisse," Tantalus said, smiling. "You single-handedly bested the automatons!"

The daughter of Ares blushed, and her eyes flickered to both Thalia and Percy. "Um, sir, I didn't—"

"And modest, too! Listen, dear. This is a summer camp. We are here to enjoy ourselves, yes?"

Flattery. Thalia's cheeks flared red in irritation. If there was one thing that really got under her skin, it was manipulation through compliment. She could tell that Clarisse was letting it get to her, despite her tough nature.

"But Thalia's tree—"

Several eyes wandered over to the daughter of Zeus and she averted her gaze to the top of her table.

Tantalus clapped his hands together. "Now, we have an issue to discuss. For some reason, Annabeth Chase, Percy Jackson, and Thalia Grace have chosen to bring _this _here." He waved a hand distastefully towards Tyson.

Uneasy mutterings and insults fluttered in between the tables. Most of the eyes turned off of Thalia to stare at the son of Poseidon. Percy's ears reddened and he looked about ready to kill everyone in the pavilion. Again, she got the urge to rush to him but quickly squashed the urge. What was wrong with her lately?

_Just want to help out a friend, _she guessed to herself. That must have been it.

"Of course, most Cyclopes are bloodthirsty creatures who prey on half-bloods and have the mental capacity of three-year-olds. Under normal circumstances, I would release this foul monster and the woods and have you slaughter him for sport. But, perhaps this Cyclops is not as cruel as its brethren. Until it proves its disastrous intentions, we need a place to keep it. I was thinking the stables, but we wouldn't wish to make the horses uneasy. Perhaps the Hermes cabin?"

Connor and Travis turned their attention away from Tantalus, and their other cabin mates did the same. Tantalus was being a moron. Why would the Hermes cabin—the most crowded of them all—have enough room to store a Cyclops?

"Oh, come now," the director urged. "It must be capable of carrying out chores. Any suggestions on where to keep it?"

Gasp rung through the air, and Thalia instinctively glanced back at Tyson. A bright green holographic sign shined above the Cyclops' head, and the daughter of Zeus dropped her fork onto her plate. She knew that such monsters were typically the offspring of Poseidon, but the god had actually found the nerve to claim Tyson.

Tantalus erupted into laughter. "By the gods! I guess the monster's residence is decided now. I can see the family resemblance!"

Every camper—with the exception of Annabeth, Thalia, Connor, Travis, and a few others—burst into laughter at the snide comment. Tyson obviously didn't take offense to the insult, as he was too fixated with the glowing trident above him.

Percy threw his plate from the table in a fit of anger and abruptly stood from his table. Tantalus snickered at his nerve, but the son of Poseidon glared and stormed off in the direction of his cabin.

Thalia considered her options for a moment before she stood. When she made to leave, the laughter halted. The campers stared at her, almost looking ashamed. The daughter of Zeus clenched her fists in anger and fixed Tantalus with a menacing sneer before she ran after her friend.

When she got to Percy's cabin, she wasn't surprised to see that it was bolted from the inside. She knocked, and did so again after receiving no reply. She attempted to turn the doorknob, if only to get his attention.

"Go away," his voice rang from the inside.

Thalia sighed. "Jackson! It's me. Just let me in."

"Why?" he snapped, throwing open the door and making her stumble back in surprise. "What? You come here to make fun of me, too? To make fun of Tyson?"

The daughter of Zeus glared. "Like I would."

"Like hell you wouldn't."

"Look, believe it or not, I'm not here to judge you. I wouldn't dare make fun of you for something that upset you so much. I wasn't laughing back there, was I?"

"No," he answered reluctantly.

"Then, what makes you think I'll laugh now?"

Percy opened to door and walked back towards his bed. He plopped down on it as Thalia entered and shut the door behind her. She sat down next to him, placing a comforting hand on his knee. He scooted closer to her until their thighs were touching, and the daughter of Zeus fought back a blush.

"Tantalus was mean."

"Yeah," he said sharply, shooting her a sarcastic look.

Thalia resisted the desire to slap him, beginning to soothingly rub circles on the thigh of his gym shorts. He tensed, but she shrugged the motion off. He was most likely cautious.

"You don't look like a Cyclops," she said, meeting his eyes with a renewed sense of determination. She frankly didn't like seeing any of her friends hurt or insulted. "He's the moron that can't stop a brisket from running off."

Percy's nose flared. "Everyone is going to start treating me like some kind of freak. The demigod with the monster for a brother. Last year, they treated me like a hero. Now, they're going to look at me like I'm some kind of outcast."

"And who says you have to let that get to you?" Thalia inquired, arching a dark brow. "Percy, if they will sit there and judge you like that, they aren't deserving of your attention. Why bother with people that don't even make an effort to be friendly with you?"

"You sound like you speak from experience," the son of Poseidon noted, his eyebrows furrowed. "Yeah, right. Like anyone would ever bully you. They wouldn't dare."

"I've been bullied plenty," she assured, attempting to adopt an indifferent tone towards the subject. "I think everyone has."

He snorted in disbelief. "You think everyone has been bullied? Nancy Bobofit, Matt Sloan, Clarisse—all of them. You think they've ever gone anywhere and found themselves ridiculed?"

Thalia removed her hand from his thigh, starting to wring her fingers over her lap. "I'm going to give you some advice."

"Delightful."

Thalia brushed off his snide comment, turning her gaze to the front wall of his cabin. "Something my mother told me when I was younger."

Percy sobered up, instantly placing a reassuring hand on her lower back. Thalia was surprised by his change of attitude. Then again, he did know how she was about discussing her mother. It was very rare that she ever did it, and when she did it was serious.

"Not everyone is going to like you, Percy," Thalia said. "There's going to be occasions in which you meet someone, and they aren't going to like a single thing about you. For absolutely no reason at all, they'll hate you. Anything and everything you try to do will only make them dislike you even more."

The son of Poseidon dropped his gaze to the floor, his mouth twisting sadly. "And? What do you do then?"

"You don't do anything," she replied, as if it were the simplest thing in the world. "That person is always going to have something against you, whether it is intentional or not. You can't change the opinions of some. You can't make everyone happy."

"People change opinions all the time."

Thalia shook her head, smirking in amusement. "Not solely because of another person's argument. We believe what we see with our _own _eyes, which is admittedly not very much. Bullies like Matt and Nancy don't see how much they hurt others with their hatred because they don't _want _to see."

"How does this tie into making everyone happy?"

Thalia shrugged. "You can't make everyone like you. No amount of begging will win me Hera's favor, just like you wouldn't be able to persuade Amphridite to accept you."

Percy nodded in understanding. "I can't make everyone happy with me. The only person I can bring happiness to is me?"

Thalia smiled. "To the people you love."

The son of Poseidon returned the warm smile. "You know, I'm pretty sure this is, by far, the gayest conversation we've ever had."

The punk wrinkled her nose. "I think you're right."

"I like talking to you, though."

Thalia turned to look at him, a shockingly full smile splitting her lips. "Yeah?" He nodded. "I like talking to you, too."

Percy cleared his throat, an obvious sign that he was about to change the subject. He fiddled with his thumbs, observing her shyly from the corner of his eye. She almost laughed. What had him looking so shy?

"You wanna maybe…team up for the chariot races?"

Thalia considered it, shrugging. "I don't see why not. Maybe you can keep the horses from curb stomping me."

"Most of them actually like you."

"No way."

Percy laughed. "You're right. Most of them hate you. But, Pumpkin likes you."

Thalia smiled, shaking her head. "That's great. I've always wanted Pumpkin's approval."

"It's a wonderful approval to have," he agreed, nodding. "I just realized something."

"What would that be?" she asked, looking to him in confusion. She was half-expecting him to say something stupid.

Percy blushed. "We're alone."

"Last I checked, yeah," she said, amused. He had just now realized that?

"In my cabin. Just us."

Thalia was about to question him again, but then the information slowly sank in. The two of them didn't share the same parent and they were alone in a cabin together. They were breaking one of the camp's most stressed rules in doing so.

The last demigods to break that rule had been Francis Hagen, a son of Apollo, and some daughter of Aphrodite. Thalia didn't recall her name because the half-blood no longer attended camp. But, she hadn't forgotten the punishment. Both Francis and his girlfriend were given the brunt of the entire camp's chores, and had been forced to clean all of the public buildings. The two of them had cooked dinner on several occasions.

Now that she thought about it, perhaps the chores had been the reason for the daughter of Aphrodite leaving. Thalia couldn't say she blamed the girl. She hated chores, too.

The daughter of Zeus knew it was risky being with Percy like this. They might have gotten away with it if she didn't have some level of feelings for him. Unfortunately, her mind wandered off. It had been a while since she and Percy had last kissed. The most recent time had been while he was in the infirmary. A large part of her wished to do so again, just to feel the warmth of his lips against her own.

The longer she remained silent and just stared at him, the more difficult her urges became. Her inherited libido was going to be the death of her. Her cheeks flushed. She did _not _just think that! Thalia tried to focus on other things, she did. Her gaze drifted off to the Minotaur horn hanging near Percy's bed.

Percy's bed. She was on Percy's bed…with him.

Why was she such a teenager?

Thalia quickly stood, attempting to take her leave before she was unable to control herself. Percy, unfortunately, rose at the very same time and they bumped into one another. Thalia's footing slipped, and she tumbled into the son of Poseidon. They landed in a groaning mess on the floor.

Thalia's head landed on his upper chest, and she immediately glanced up to his handsome face. He happened to look down at her at the same time, and his beautiful sea green eyes seemed to gleam with something unrecognizable. Whatever he was feeling, it sent a strange shock through her. His eyes were nearly enough to make her entire body weak. She was quick to place her hands on either side of his head in order to lift herself off of him.

Percy's hands instantly latched onto her wrists and he used his grip on her to tug her body back onto his. This time, her face was hovering mere inches above his. She felt the heat of his chest against her own, and her legs were nestled in between his.

"Kelp Head, what are you—?"

His lips closed over hers, and she was quick to respond. Taking his bottom lip between her teeth, she trapped it in her mouth and ran her tongue along the length of it. He groaned almost inaudibly, pulling her further into them as he slid his tongue into her mouth.

It was unlike any of the few kisses they had ever shared, and Thalia knew she should have put a stop to it the moment it began. They weren't even dating, and yet she was kissing him like _that_? She didn't want things to progress between them that way. She wasn't even positive she truly wanted any relationship at all.

Her desire screeched in protest, but she managed to pull away from the kiss, rolling off of him. She leaned up to sit against the edge of his bed, breathing heavily. Percy, looking extremely apologetic, rose from his spot on the floor and joined her against his bunk.

"Thalia, I am so very sorry. I didn't mean for that to happen."

"And what exactly did you mean to happen?" a voice called from the doorway.

Thalia and Percy both glanced up in alarm, instantly recognizing the form of their new activities director. The demigods rushed to their feet, spitting out their respective excuses like heavy machine guns.

"Sir, I was just helping him clean beneath his bed—"

"Dropped my contact, and I just—"

"—then, a hoard of wild dust bunnies charged at us!"

"—and, she has better eyes than I do. You know, hawk eyes!"

"Dust bunnies are allergic to kissing, so we only did what we had to in order to keep them at bay!"

"The eyes of a hawk. Walk like a demigod, search like a hawk!"

"Children!" Tantalus shouted, which was the first time he had raised his voice around them. It scared the daughter of Zeus, even though she wouldn't admit it to him. His voice was almost desperate, but in the creepiest and most frightening sense. "Enough! Immediate action will be taken regarding your punishments. Now, to the Big House, both of you! Dionysus and I shall discuss this matter together."

The demigods turned their gazes to the ground and stormed out of the cabin. Tantalus was following a good way behind them, so they were able to whisper without him overhearing.

Thalia scowled. "Eyes like a hawk? Is that your version of a pun?"

Percy subtly looked to her, raising his eyebrows in mockery. "Dust bunnies?"

The daughter of Zeus grumbled, "Oh, shut up."

They trudged onto the porch of the Big House, neither looking forward to discussing the issue at hand. How was Thalia supposed to explain to her immortal brother why she had been making out with the son of Poseidon? She was fully aware of how explicit their actions were, but that didn't mean she lacked the nerve to be ashamed.

Tantalus stomped up the steps, and the demigods twitched anxiously as he swung the door open. It was time for them to face the music.

* * *

Hera swiped her hand through the foggy image of her husband's offspring, sneering. If the daughter of Zeus continued to participate in _extracurricular _activities with Percy Jackson, the queen's plan wasn't going to go very fluently at all. Pacing the length of her impressive, shimmering multi-color garden, she contemplated her next course of action.

Originally, she had planned to remain a passive observer as the demigod's life progressed, but her predictions were steering from their positions. In order for things to go as she needed them to, Hera would be required to alter the obstacles—Percy Jackson being the primary one.

The Queen of the Gods felt a presence behind her and plastered on a false smile, before she turned around to face her husband. Zeus was studying her unsurely. He looked to be suspicious, if his defensive stance was anything to go by. Hera had realized long ago that he was overprotective of Thalia, and she wasn't going to willingly share any information with him.

"Darling," he greeted, his voice regal and cautious. "May I inquire as to what you are doing in your garden at so late of an hour?"

Hera somehow managed to keep the smile on her face, although irritation simmered underneath. "It is _my _garden, yes? You have claimed so yourself, my Lord."

Zeus appeared impatient, though he nodded his head accordingly. "True, true. Dear wife, I should rephrase my previous question. What are your actions with your looking glass?"

Her looking glass—the almost invisible frame of light fog that trailed from the sparkling pond—was her favorite device, as she used it to view into the affairs of mortals and demigods. She spotted her reflection on the surface of the water, her husband standing strong beside her. He was with _her. _The way she longed so desperately for. The way it should have always been.

"Your daughter and her friend are receiving punishment," she remarked coyly, failing to hide her smirk. "It appears she models your behavior more than I imagined."

Zeus paled slightly, which was something she had never desired to see. Her husband, courtesy of his paranoid attitude, was a worrywart. Anything mentioned about his half-blood daughter sent his mind spiraling. He had never shown such concern toward his loyal wife, or any of his other children.

What was so different about Thalia?

That was the very question that drove Hera up the walls of Olympus. It wasn't in a god's nature—one who had not been human at a time, anyway—to involve his or herself in the affairs of mortals. As harsh as the fact was, gods weren't meant to care for their demigod children. Why did Zeus treat this _Thalia _like she was his…well, daughter? It didn't make sense in the realm of the Olympians.

Hera knew he hadn't loved the girl's mother. He had lusted after her (and that was still enough to anger his devoted wife), but he hadn't held any significant love for her. He had treated her similarly to how he had treated the lovers of his past. He surrendered gifts, children, and sex, but never would he dare offer an actual immortal life. Hera knew she could never be replaced as his wife, and even that failed to comfort her.

Thalia…oh, yes, she had been receiving a great amount of Zeus' attention. _Too much_ of it, in fact. It didn't take a fool to notice that the queen wasn't in favor of it at all. It wasn't right for an immortal—especially one as powerful and mighty as her husband—to be so involved in a mortal's life. It was all almost too much for Hera to bear. And, the worst part of it all? Zeus forbade her—_forbade her_!—from taking any harmful action.

Zeus' shocked expression soon flipped to one of anger. "What has happened?"

"I am aware that you see her more often than you should," she stated casually. "Perhaps you should question her yourself."

He tightened his jaw. "Don't speak of such nonsense."

"Oh, good! You're beginning to realize your fault?"

Zeus raised a brow. "Which fault would that be? Assuming I have made any, that is."

Hera scoffed, no longer attempting to act nonchalant. "Which fault? Heavens. You think it fair to spend an unreasonable amount of time with your mortal daughter? The other gods abide by the ancient laws."

"Half-mortal," he corrected, offended. Of course he would get offended from such a claim. "And…and, she has no one else."

"As it rightfully should be!" she argued. "Demigods are too reliant. No matter what we gods gift them with, they continuously pry for more. Mortals are nothing but selfish, darling. You give this girl attention, and you will forever bend to her whim."

"That is not true of Thalia."

"She has mortal blood within her. She is selfish."

"Thalia also contains the essence of godly ichor. Does that make her indifferent and independent at the same time? You contradict yourself."

"No mortal shall have the best of both worlds, Zeus."

Zeus scowled, meeting her cold gaze bravely. His nostrils flared as thunder shook the palace. "She shall have nothing but the very best, Hera. Be sure of that."


	7. Cruel and Unusual Punishment

**A/N: It's pretty late, so I only took a cursory glance over the text during my review. If I made any extensive grammatical errors, and they honestly made reading the fic difficult, please feel free to let me know. I'll try and fix it as soon as possible. Anyway, here it is. Sorry for the wait, but I hope the length made up for it. A big thank you goes out to not for granted for providing me with a extremely useful original character.**

**Disclaimer: Sadly, I don't believe I will ever own the series. I can only claim rights to my ideas.**

* * *

**Cruel and Unusual Punishment**

Three days had passed since Percy and Thalia had been caught making out in Cabin Three, and the son of Poseidon was growing mad. They had both been sentenced to their respective cabins and were only released at certain times. The two of them had clean up duty after dinner, which was the only time they were allotted to spend together.

The thing that had Percy the most upset was the fact that they weren't permitted to join the chariot race. All of their friends were entering. Annabeth was racing with her brother Malcolm, the Stoll siblings were teaming up, and Beckendorf was participating with one of his sisters. Today was the day of the race, and the two children of the Big Three were told they had to stick around in the stands. They were expected to clean up after the other demigods.

For some reason, the daughter of Zeus avoided talking in depth with him. Their conversations were short, needless, and brief. She hadn't had any desire to speak with him after recent events. Percy didn't know why he had kissed her. Perhaps it had just been a combination of his hormones and his nerves that willed him to do so. He really hoped he hadn't made her feel uncomfortable.

It was no secret that he had a _slight _crush on the daughter of Zeus. What was not to like about her? She was funny, smart, cute, and she had the most adorable freckles. He liked the way her bright blue eyes lit up whenever she flashed her rare, joyful smile—all right, so maybe it wasn't a _slight _crush. But, he was just a teenage boy. He found plenty of girls pretty. Annabeth, for instance. Annabeth was pretty.

Thalia's indifference towards him was beginning to drive him mad. She could just straight out tell him she wasn't interested, and he wouldn't be as confused. It hurt, of course, but he had made the mistake of trying to practically force a kiss on her.

On the other hand, she had seemed to like it quite a bit. He recalled the way she tugged his bottom lip between her straight, flawless teeth, soothing the bite with an alluring flick of her tongue. He liked the way his arms felt around her. He had felt her heartbeat hovering just above his own, and just thinking about it was causing his to race faster.

Percy shook his head, smirking. He was acting ridiculous. A sudden thought occurred to him. Would his mother be informed about this whole situation? His eyes widened. She would never talk to him again! He was very close with his mother and they got along great with one another, but he knew the news was going to break her heart. Sally really liked Thalia, too.

It was his entire fault. He wished he could walk over to Cabin One and apologize, but that would get them into even more trouble. That was the last thing he wanted. Thalia already had cleaning duty with him. She hadn't even initiated the kiss. _She hadn't turned it down, either. _He would just have to see her and try to talk to her during the chariot race.

Percy sighed heavily, folding the last of his camp shirts and placing it in his dresser.

His ears perked up as he overheard a loud bellow from outside of his cabin. It almost sounded as if it were coming from Cabin One. Thalia's cabin.

_Stop thinking about her._

Steeling his nerves, he marched over to the far side of his cabin and pressed his ear against the wall. He wouldn't be able to make out any words, but he wanted to make sure that his friend wasn't being attacked or anything. With a frown, he recalled when Luke had allowed a hellhound to enter camp. It had been after him. The demigod glanced down at the palm of his hand, filling with anger at the sight of the white, fading scar in the very center.

Could the son of Hermes be attempting to harm Thalia? The thought alone made his blood boil.

Percy knew very well that Thalia didn't belong to him. He also knew that she wouldn't like the idea of being _owned_ in the first place. She was her own person. She had displayed her strength to him several times over, and impressed him. And yet, strangely enough, he couldn't quite ditch the urge to protect her. He wanted to keep her from monsters, trouble, and the other dangers of the world. Most importantly, he wanted to protect her from Luke.

Luke had poisoned Thalia's tree. The son of Poseidon knew he did. There was no other explanation; rather, there wasn't another worth looking into. Who else would have done such a thing? The son of Hermes must have known that wounding the tree would have a painful effect on Thalia. He poisoned the pine to hurt her. Percy was absolutely certain that he would attempt to hurt the daughter of Zeus again.

Trying his hardest to suppress his feelings of anger and distress, the son of Poseidon encouraged himself to continue listening through the wall.

Percy heard a man's voice, deep and strong. The man sounded like he was issuing a lecture, and his voice raised every time Thalia dared to interrupt him. Who was in her cabin? He sounded too human to be a creature, and (thankfully) too deep to be Luke. So, who did that leave?

The son of Poseidon thought about her father, Zeus. It could easily be him, right? The demigod groaned as a frustrating realization broke through his dense head. If Thalia's father was in there and obviously knew of their kiss, Sally had been informed as well. Percy paled. He really hoped no one had told Poseidon of the event. He had an unsure relationship with his dad as it was. He didn't need his mistakes complicating things.

Mistake.

_No_, he told himself, shaking his head. When he had kissed Thalia, it had been anything but a mistake. He had wanted it, and the only reason he regretted it was because it had placed strain on their friendship. If he could go back in time and do it all over, he knew he would kiss her again.

Loud footsteps drew him from his thoughts, and the demigod looked up to see a smiling Cyclops standing in the doorway. No, not a Cyclops. Tyson. His half-brother.

Percy tried for a smile, but it was obviously pained. He hated to admit it, but he was disappointed in his father. Because of Poseidon, he had a monster for a brother. The campers would no longer view him as a hero. He would be known as the freaky son of the Sea God with a one-eyed, monstrous younger sibling. It was enough to make him sick.

For the past three days, he had been bullied and jerked around by many of the campers. Some children of Aphrodite assaulted him verbally, while the offspring of Ares took a more violent route. Percy was going crazy beneath all of the pressure. He felt like he no longer had any friends. Thalia hadn't talked to him, not that she really had time to. Annabeth didn't want to be around him when Tyson was present, even though she had never said so out loud. Grover was gone, probably in trouble.

"You are upset," Tyson stated simply, looking a bit saddened himself. It took Percy aback. "I may be a monster, but I will not be bad. I will be good. I want to be a good monster."

"You…you aren't a monster, Tyson."

"Yes," Tyson asserted, nodding. "I make you mad."

"Not you," Percy argued, biting his bottom lip. He quickly stopped once his mind drifted off to the feel of Thalia's lips. Now was not the time. "I'm upset about something else. I'm not mad at you, Tyson."

The young Cyclops appeared unconvinced, but he glanced down at his brother desperately. "Are you sure?"

"I'm positive," Percy assured, finally discovering his smile. "Now, let's head to the chariot race."

"Yay!" Tyson cheered, clapping. A thunderous sound emitted from the action. "I will race with friends!"

Percy turned to him, eyes wide in shock. "Wait…who?"

* * *

Thalia turned her ashamed gaze to the floor of her cabin, trying to look anywhere but at her disappointed father. Not only had Tantalus awarded them with cleaning up after everyone else, but he had also informed their parents of the incident. She hadn't really expected her father to show up, but he scared the living daylights out of her when he popped out of nowhere while she had been showering.

Thankfully, even though he had been infuriated, he had been thoughtful enough to leave briefly so she could dress. She sat on the edge of her bed—which Zeus had made sure to provide in her tiny alcove—clad in a pair of running shorts and a Red Hot Chili Peppers shirt.

He had stopped lecturing about three minutes prior, but he continued to look down on her in that annoying way only fathers could do. Zeus gave the worst lectures as well. He was so professional and unquestionable that it was difficult to find any faults in his argument. Every piece of evidence he provided was accurate and true, supporting whatever position he had taken. Thalia wished she were more like him in that sense. Instead, she argued like her mother had—irrationally.

No matter what she retaliated with, her father could say one word to make her feel so much worse about everything. She was angry at herself for upsetting him. She had reacted childishly and immaturely, and she couldn't help but feel sincerely apologetic. Despite the fact that they had their rocky moments, Zeus was someone that she couldn't bear to disappoint.

"Dad," she began, her voice shaky and weaker than his. "I'm sorry."

Zeus grunted, clearly not wanting to hear any excuses. He glanced to his tall, broad statue in the center of the cabin. Distaste shown on his features, and she almost didn't believe what she was seeing. Part of her hoped he would change the awkward subject and comment on the statue, but she knew he wasn't going to.

"You displayed extremely rash behavior, daughter," he said. "How can I expect your apology to be anything more than impulsive?"

Thalia squeezed her eyes shut. "It's not impulsive. I mean it. We didn't mean for it to happen. It just did."

Zeus scoffed. "Why did it happen?"

"He and I were, you know," she stammered, opening her eyes to meet his. "We were in his cabin…alone, and one thing just led to another. I tripped and we fell to the floor. We were kind of in the position, and we just…"

"It will not happen again," he asserted, his tone scaring her. She nodded hurriedly, wanting desperately to end this conversation between them. "Tantalus and Dionysus have been instructed to inform me on your every activity in camp."

"That's kind of creepy, but—"

"Thalia," he warned. "Do you understand me?"

_Yeah, you're speaking English._

Thalia repressed the sarcastic remark, biting down on her bottom lip. She nodded. "I understand."

Zeus sighed, as if a great burden had just been lifted from his shoulders. "Good girl," he said, nodding. "Now…that is not the only reason I have come here."

His eyes were unwilling to meet hers, and he suddenly appeared gruffer and more exhausted. The stern lines of his face came into play, dancing across his weathered skin.

Thalia knew that face. He always looked like that when he was about to break horrible news to her. Bracing herself for the worse, she pulled her knees up to her chest and leaned back against the headboard. He glanced over at her in confusion before he took a seat on the edge of her bed.

"What's going on?" she willed herself to ask.

Her father glanced to the opposite side of the room and shook his head. "Never mind, Thalia, I will take my leave."

"No!" his daughter leaned up from her position and stared up at him. "You had something to tell me."

"I fear I do not have the right to do so, as it does not concern me directly," he said, his voice saddened and regretful. "Even the King of the Gods must respect law."

"Why can't you just tell me? It has you upset, so it probably does concern you."

Zeus flashed a small, fleeting smile, glancing down at his lap. "You carry a strong argument, but even you cannot influence me to bypass—"

He stopped talking when she rolled her eyes and looked away, but she didn't notice. She was absolutely infuriated. He couldn't just nearly tell her something and then decided not to. That drove her crazy! Did he not trust her enough? Did it have something to do with the mark Hera gave her? The thought of the goddess caused her to wrinkle her nose in disgust. She didn't have the guts to ask him about the mark. It would only serve to piss her off even more when he refused to discuss the matter.

"Stop pouting, Tally Bear."

Thalia glared at him. She hadn't been called that since she left home. Her mother and father thought it was the funniest thing in the world, and it irritated her. She looked away from him when he cracked a smirk, finding the wall much more interesting. Thalia heard Zeus sigh next to her, but didn't bother meeting his eyes.

"I tried," he grumbled to himself, but she had heard it. It only caused her to scowl even harder. "I must take my leave. My duties shall no longer be neglected." When she didn't respond, he stood directly in front of her. "I am sorry that I am not able to tell you what I had wished to, but you must realize what I would be risking. I swore upon the River Styx, and breaking that curse would only serve to harm you."

"You've broken it before," she argued. "You knocked Mom up."

Zeus frowned. "And at what price? You live a haunted life. You will never have the type of life your mother and I desired for you—"

"I'm sorry about the cabin incident, I swear that it will never happen again, and I understand that you are unable to tell me what you wanted," Thalia interrupted. "I think it's best if you leave now," she said curtly.

Zeus glowered, but instructed her to look away. She shut her eyes, seeing the bright white light shine through her closed lids. When he was gone, she opened them once again and ran a hand through her messy hair. Thalia felt bad about dismissing him like that, but she didn't wish to lose her temper. Even if he was her father, she had a feeling he could be tempted to annihilate her if she let her anger decide her word choice.

The demigoddess stood, pacing the length of the cabin. The ever-present statue of her proud father in the center of the cabin never ceased to bother her, but she forced herself not to focus on it. She had always felt as if it were watching her. The statue was a representation of all she had ever loathed in her father, as well as in herself. Instead of the Zeus she preferred seeing, she saw the other side of him—the arrogant, unaccepting form of the god. He usually only showed that side of himself to her whenever he was angry, but she never wanted to see it. It made her feel as if she were undeserving of her parentage.

If she were being truthful with herself, she didn't feel like a daughter of Zeus at all. Children of her father were supposed to be mighty and notorious for their skills and battle. They showed outstanding leadership qualities. They were good-looking and charming, beautiful and strong-willed.

She couldn't see any of those traits in herself. She was athletic and a good runner, but she wasn't remarkably strong. She could hold her ground in a great number of battles, but so could every other demigod. Thalia wasn't as stunning as her older sister Helen of Troy, nor was she was brave and renowned as Hercules.

The daughter of Zeus scoffed, shaking her head. She was being stupid. Instead of dwelling on insignificant insecurities, she should have been getting ready for the chariot races. Thalia dug her phone from her bag and cursed when she saw the time. She had a total of five minutes to be out on the field.

Thalia rushed through her belongings, searching for something to wear for the event. She slipped on a pair of ripped black jeans, socks, and stepped into her combat boots. The demigoddess stuffed her phone into her pocket, and sprinted out of her cabin.

By the time she arrived to the chariot field, her face was a snowy white. Her cheeks were tinted with blue, and her teeth chattered. Sweat ran down her face, and it only served to cool her further. It was too cold for any athletic activity, really, and the weather affected her more than any other demigod. Thalia wished it were warmer. She understood that it was spring time, but that didn't mean Dionysus couldn't block the cold out.

The sky churned noisily, and the daughter of Zeus instantly glanced up in bewilderment. She watched as the clouds shifted and dissipated, making room for a bright and joyous sun. Warmth enveloped the land, and the sunlight lit her damp face. It was no longer as cold outside, although some fog continued to linger. A sleek black eyebrow arched as misty azure hues studied the drifting clouds.

"They don't call you the daughter of Zeus for nothing."

Thalia didn't so much as flinch at the sound of Tantalus' jibe. She remained undeterred, gazing up into her father's domain. Had she really just done such a thing?

The new activities director approached until he was standing in line with her, crossing his skinny arms over his quivering chest. "I had feared the chariot races were going to be canceled, but since you kindly _improved _the weather for the rest of us…"

"Hold your thanks," she stated unfeelingly, not bothering to look over at him. "It isn't like I meant to. And, believe me, if I had known I was capable of doing that, I would have chosen to bear the cold."

Tantalus snickered. "That's right. You surely aren't looking forward to cleaning up after everyone, even though it is what you deserve."

"It isn't your right to issue punishment," she argued. "You're the activities director."

His attitude really dug under her skin. Thalia wished he would just hold his tongue and go make himself useful—maybe leaping off of a cliff or two.

"That is very true, daughter of Zeus. However, Dionysus is in charge of the entire camp, and I do believe he gave me full permission to distribute any punishment I see fit. Don't you remember?"

Thalia clenched her jaw in anger as she recalled their conversation with the wine god. Dionysus had studied her for too long, not bothering to speak a word to her. He only eyed Percy briefly, before he turned to Tantalus and told him to punish them in whatever way his withered heart desired. She hated the way her half-brother behaved. He was just like a child!

Tantalus didn't wait for her answer, and continued to prattle. "I order you to see to it that all audience members find pleasing seats, and that the pesky son of Barnacle Beard—"

"Would you like to insult the world while you're at it, Tantalus?" she countered, cutting him off. "I'm sure everyone in the fucking universe would love to hear you complain about them. You spit out plenty of insults as it is. What harm could a few more do?"

Tantalus' pale face reddened in moments, and he seethed visibly. "You—"

"Ooh, yay!" Thalia cheered mockingly, turning her head to smirk at him. "I get insults, too!"

"You're no better than your arrogant father!" the director snarled, before immediately composing his features.

The sky rumbled, but not in a threatening way, and it brought a sneer to Thalia's face. Her father was probably laughing from his throne, cracking snide remarks while gesturing towards to camp's new jester.

"Care to insult him anymore?" the daughter of Zeus snapped, faking her anger. In reality, she was trying her hardest not to laugh at the look on his face. "I wouldn't if I were you. He's sounding pretty angry."

Zeus wasn't necessarily the strongest god in existence, but he was the mightiest of the Olympians. Unlike the others, he wasn't afraid to assert his power and dominance. He flaunted his domain and its impressiveness, with no fear of appearing imperious.

Tantalus grumbled beneath his breath as he turned to leave her. "Rotten kids…she most likely acts more spoiled than she tastes…self-centered…"

He was thinking about the way she tasted? He was either a pervert or a cannibal, and she didn't think either of them was very appealing.

Shaking off her disgust, she sprinted to the group of campers gathering near the stone steps. The demigods were almost frenzied, their voices overpowering the sound of the neighing horses. Hundreds of plump, lazy birds filled the trees, squawking annoyingly. Thalia was the daughter of Zeus, but she had never heard a bird that sounded quite like that. It was nails scraping across the plain of a chalkboard.

Thalia waved the spectators into the stands, distractedly staring at the new track. The children of Hephaestus had somehow—she didn't know exactly how, as she had not been allowed out of her cabin very much—plowed a large oval track in the grassy field. She didn't like the positioning of the track. She thought it was much too close to the woods, and spare arrows would probably fly in from the archery range.

Tantalus sat at the highest stair, smirking down at her, leaning his thin body forward and setting his elbows down on his bony knees. Satyrs crowded around him—not within reach, but within talking distance. Dryads littered some of the bottommost steps, giggling as the satyrs above them attempted to pick at them. The daughter of Zeus instructed the campers to fill up the rest of the seats, with the exception of the spots closest to their new director. Some of the demigods were forced to take seats on the floor, but they weren't complaining.

Thalia felt Percy walk up beside her, but she blushed and sat down on the cool grass. He shrugged, but didn't stop pursuing her. The son of Poseidon sat directly next to her, his thigh rubbing against hers as he lowered himself to the ground. The demigoddess edged herself subtly away from his leg.

"Why have you been avoiding me?"

The question caught her off guard. "I…I haven't."

Percy smiled, rolling his eyes. He attempted to play the situation off, but Thalia could see the amount of rejection glinting in his sea green eyes. As a sign of comfort, she scooted further towards him. He flashed a look of confusion—clearly searching for answers—but she ignored it, choosing to watch the competitors align.

Annabeth rode in a simple, yet sophisticated gray-themed chariot. Malcolm stood beside her, toting a javelin. The blonde demigoddess looked over to the sitting demigods, and Thalia felt a smile drift onto her usually stern face when the girl waved. Thank the gods, Tantalus had the decency to avoid telling the campers of the true reason she and Percy were punished. The wicked director had said that they were in trouble for skipping the meal.

Connor and Travis, of course, were racing together in a shoddy-looking chariot. Clarisse and one of her brothers sneered down at the rest of them as they settled at the starting line. A pair in particular took the daughter of Zeus off guard. Beckendorf was riding with Tyson? When in the world did that happen? The Cyclops looked innocently happy, and waved to any and every camper his eyes met.

Thalia found her attention drifting away. She didn't find any competitions particularly interesting when she wasn't allowed to participate. She wasn't sure what was going on at the starting line. All she knew was that the commotion of the excited demigods, combined with the screeching of the birds, was giving her a major headache.

"Charioteers!" Tantalus cried from the stands. "Attend your mark!"

With a wave of his bony hand, the starting signal was dropped. The horses neighed loudly, and it was enough noise to muffle the sounds of the birds. The chariots raced forward, and the Apollo chariot spun out almost immediately. Connor and Travis dared to laugh at the misfortune, and it came back to bite them in the rear of their chariot when they crashed. Percy cracked a small smile, and Thalia instantly guessed that one of the fallen horses had cried out something humorous.

_Flesh! _

Thalia glanced over at the son of Poseidon in amusement. When he shot her a questioning look, she rolled her eyes. "Come on, man. Knock it off."

"Knock what off?"

_We shall feast on the blood of heroes!_

She had no other logical explanation for the voice, other than that it had been Percy, but she had her eyes on his face. He hadn't moved his mouth at all.

_Flesh! _

An army of screechy voices now chanted together, and it was becoming overwhelming. She felt like the voices had a familiar quality to them, one she had learned before. The voices were rushed and high-pitched, almost like…almost like—

The daughter of Zeus swallowed back her anxiousness and turned her attention to the trees. All of the bird's lifeless ebony eyes were turned to her, and they squawked viciously in her direction. She heard their several threats and bloodthirsty slurs. Why were they all staring at her? It didn't make any sense. Birds were of her father's domain, so why wouldn't they respect her?

The charioteers continued to race on, oblivious to the loud and obnoxious birds. Thalia turned towards the Big House and searched for any sign of Dionysus. He may have lost most of her respect—the little respect she had for him—but he was probably the only other being that could understand the creatures. She frowned when she didn't spot him anywhere.

Thalia felt someone nudge her gently, and she turned to her left to see Percy frowning in concern. "What's wrong, Thalia? Those birds bothering you or something?" he asked her, his dark eyebrows furrowed.

At the mention of the animals, she looked towards them again. They glared at her fiercely, almost as if they were daring her to say anything. She could picture them in leather jackets, cracking their knuckles and dangling cigarettes from their beaks.

"You could say that," she murmured quietly, hoping no one else was listening in on their conversation. "Say, do those birds look man-eating to you?"

"What gives you that impression?"

_Flesh! Flesh! Feast on the daughter of the skies!_

"Eh, just a hunch," she answered wryly, shrugging her shoulders. "I'm pretty sure they want to peck our flesh from our bones."

Percy's eyes widened. "Thalia, what the hell are you talking about? They—they're just pigeons." He sounded more like he was trying to convince himself.

Thalia hummed to herself sarcastically. "That's strange. Usually, when I hear pigeons, they're not telling me they want the blood of heroes. Well…unless they just had a stressful day or something."

The son of Poseidon paled slightly, but tried for a small smile. "Nice one," he commented, trying not to believe her. "You know, I think this is the longest conversation we've had since…well, _that_—"

Thalia turned away uncomfortably, crossing her arms in front of her chest. She had tried to avoid talking to him after the trouble they had gotten into together, mostly because it felt all too foreign to her. She didn't think the kiss meant anything—or rather, she didn't _want _to think it meant something—yet she couldn't stop thinking about it.

The demigoddess felt like she needed to slowly distance herself away. She hated feeling like she wasn't aware of what was going on around her, and that's how Percy always managed to make her feel. She had yet to decide if that was a good or horrible thing yet. All she knew was that she was sort of uncomfortable around him now.

The son of Poseidon bit his lip hard in irritation, and she forced herself to stop staring at him. Worry flashed through his emerald hues, and it had her on instant alert. He was looking to the trees, and she quickly followed suit. The ferocious birdlike creatures had formed themselves into a rather menacing funnel of air, and were heading straight for the track.

"Shit!" Thalia exclaimed, rushing to her feet. Percy followed up after her, catching the attention of everyone in the stands.

Tantalus stood from his seat and scowled down in disapproval. "And just where do you presume the two of you will be going?"

"Someone has to get rid of those demon birds. Damn, Tantalus, can't you see them heading this way?" the daughter of Zeus remarked incredulously. There was a time and a place for being an ignorant dick weed, and their new director was really pushing it.

"They are not—" Tantalus began, but ceased speaking whenever a demigod from the crowd stood.

The boy was dressed in full armor, which wasn't strange for campers during the day. His rough face reminded Thalia of someone she had met before. Although his looks were rugged and almost feral in a way, she would be lying if she called him unattractive.

"Demon birds?" he repeated her earlier words, his deep and smoky voice matching his appearance.

Thalia nodded, finding it very hard to not be intimidated by him. He just gave off a strange, powerful aura, and she found it rather unsettling. Percy moved until he was directly beside her, their arms rubbing together, and raised his head to look at the demigod more clearly.

"Cyril," the son of Poseidon acknowledged, giving a swift nod. "Have you read anything about them?"

Suddenly, Thalia recalled just who this demigod was. Standing before them was Cyril, the son of Hercules. He didn't spend much of his time at Camp Half-Blood, and it was strange seeing him there. She hadn't even heard of his return. If it were possible, he looked even rougher than he had the previous year.

"No," the boy answered. "But, I suspect that I know what they are."

The whirlwind of birds was vastly approaching. Some dived away from their brethren and into the stands, violently picking at vulnerable spectators.

"You know how to kill them?" Thalia asked, activating her sword.

When Cyril simply nodded, she didn't wait for another response. As a bird swooped down for Percy's head, she slashed at it. Her blade ricocheted off of the creature's metallic beak with a clang, and the son of Poseidon dug out Riptide while he ducked. The son of Hercules had also drawn his weapon, when Thalia had, and was using his blade as more of a diversion than an offensive attack.

Annabeth jumped from her chariot, surprising her fellow charioteers. "Stymphalian birds!" the daughter of Athena cried, sprinting up to her friends.

Cyril twisted his sword expertly, using it to send a bird into a spiral flight before it burst into a cloud of feathers. Bothering to glance over for a moment, he added, "Hercules, my father, drove them away with the sound of Athena's agitating krotala."

"English, Cyril," Thalia replied to the rogue, barely managing to tackle Annabeth out of the way. What was she even doing out there? She only had her knife, and the birds would have to get within pecking distance in order for her to use it.

The son of Hercules brushed off the jibe, nearly roaring whenever one of the creatures snuck up on him and found a breach in his armor. The wound in his shoulder didn't serve to slow him down. Instead, his frustration fueled his battle prowess.

"Noise clappers, brass bells and the like," he answered briskly, once he had knocked the bird to the ground and crushed the lower half of its body with his boot. The limp beast exploded. "We need something that will make plenty of commotion."

"Thalia, where's your iPod?" Annabeth asked immediately, diving out of the way of two raging birds. The demigoddess really wished she wouldn't rush into battle like she did. She could seriously get hurt or something.

"It's in my cabin," the daughter of Zeus responded, checking to see how Percy was fending.

He was defending himself easily and, of course, he was making sure to guard some of the whimpering satyrs as well. Thalia had always admired that about him. He was loyal, strong, and heroic. He didn't even realize his great qualities, either.

"Go get it!" the blonde urged.

"…it's dead."

"Thalia!"

Percy panted heavily. "I have an idea! Keep up the defense. The campers in the chariots are doing fine, just keep the rest safe."

Thalia nodded, although she had absolutely no idea what he could be up to. Knowing Percy, though, it was probably going to be a fairly effective plan. She watched as he ran off towards the Big House, doing the gods know what.

The daughter of Zeus allowed herself to be distracted for too long, and one of the birds flew for her face before she had a chance to react. Thankfully, Cyril spun around and sliced it into a bundle just in time. She was going to thank him, but he had already drifted back into his own battle. She watched as he slaughtered creature after creature, as if he had some kind of personal grudge against them.

Other campers that had been in the stands were attempting to fight back, and assist in the resistance. Children of Athena were discussing strategy, while commanding that shields be raised in defense. The offspring of Apollo had drawn their bows, attempting to find leverage to shoot at the speedy birds.

Clarisse, who had crossed the finish line before noticing the chaos going on around her, ran for the stands with her sword raised. Fire erupted from several chariots, and Thalia had no explanation as to why that happened. Perhaps it had been Greek fire. At the thought of the powerful substance, her expression grew saddened. It was always rough for her to think about Hal, the cursed son of Apollo.

The birds were getting the better of the campers. The fatally wounded resorted to running around, screaming for all their lungs were worth. Some of the birds—obviously holding grudges against Hercules—picked at Cyril's hair, and ripped at Thalia's clothes. Their beloved activities director was frantically chasing some éclair, yelling reassurances that definitely did nothing to soothe anything.

Percy returned, toting some older boom box and a CD. He sat it down on the steps, but the daughter of Zeus didn't have time to see what he was doing. A few moments passed before music sounded through the slightly crackly speakers, and Thalia grimaced. The son of Poseidon had fetched Chiron's music. They didn't have any brass bells, but she had a feeling that Dean Martin was the next worse thing.

The birds reacted recently, appearing as frantic as the starving Tantalus. They flew in rapid spirals, occasionally bumping beaks and tumbling to the ground. Finally, they managed to reassemble themselves and gathered in a dark flock. They flew away, and the Apollo campers were able to get clearer targets.

"Now!" the daughter of Athena screamed. "Archers!"

After all of the arrows had been fired, numerous bronze-beaked creatures dropped to the ground. The few surviving birds were already too far gone for the arrows to soar, but they didn't look like they were coming back any time soon. Corpses of birds littered the new chariot field, and the daughter of Zeus had to force herself to look away from the sight. Chariots were either completely or mostly destroyed, and campers were bleeding all over.

"Congratulations, young Clarisse," Tantalus boasted, clapping his hands loudly. "We have our very first winner of the chariot races!" He surrendered golden laurels to the surprised daughter of Ares.

Oh, but he wasn't done yet. Thalia wasn't that lucky.

The director turned to the children of the Big Three, and with a jackass smile, pointed towards the Big House. "Shovels are in the basement. I suggest you two go on and fetch them. Bet you can't wait to get to cleaning! These corpses won't dispose of themselves, you know."

Thalia paled, glancing over the field. Insects were already picking at the dead animals, and she had to refrain from screaming obscenities in his gaunt, smirking face. Percy's face strung into a tight grimace. He was about as excited about this as she.

It was going to be a long night.


	8. A Lovely Messenger

**Quicker update and longer than most, so I guess that sort of makes it a double bonus. **

**Before you read the chapter (or, it doesn't matter if you read this, I know how boring Author's Notes can be), there are a few things that are similar to the PJO book and many things that are different. The parentage of Eros (in Greek mythology) is pretty much left up to debate. Two speculated fathers are Ares and Hermes. Most people choose to portray him as a son of Ares and Aphrodite, but I addressed him as the offspring of Aphrodite and Hermes. It fit better for the story. **

**If there are any mistakes that are overbearing or distracting, please feel free to let me know. Hope you all enjoy, and feedback means a lot.**

**Disclaimer: I'm not Rick Riordan, so I don't own the Percy Jackson series or any of its characters.**

* * *

**A Lovely ****Messenger**

Hermes sulked in front of his fountain, his face displaying great shame as he glanced at the image of his son, Luke. His son was on board the Princess Andromeda, smirking smugly as monsters passed him by. Luke Castellan. What had become of his boy?

Even from a young age, Luke had been haunted. His mother was plagued with visions of the future—of what would eventually happen to her son. Luke didn't understand, and Hermes knew that. But, the boy didn't want to understand, either. The demigod had turned his back on the gods long before he thought Thalia had been sacrificed. He was born to be a traitor. It was his destiny.

But, destiny…it could be fought. Hermes knew that it was risky tampering with the Fates, but it could be done. After all, Odysseus had returned home after being cursed to spend eternity sailing. Luke could fight for good again. He could once again worship them and treat Hermes with respect. It wasn't too late for the boy. The Fates may have picked that life for him, but he would always be in charge of his so-called destiny.

"You stare at your son any longer and you'll burn a hole through that boat," a voice jibed from behind Hermes. The god of travelers turned to see his son Eros standing behind him, smiling. He looked back to the image of Luke, refusing to respond. "Hermes."

Eros sighed, taking a seat next to him. He was in his teenage form—white slacks and a porcelain tank shirt—and Hermes was slightly glad for that. It was awkward talking to a small child in a diaper, after all. The god of love adjusted the quiver on his back as he gazed off at the Princess Andromeda. It was a long while before he decided to speak to Hermes again.

"You want to save him."

It wasn't a question. Eros had already known. The god had a knack for seeing feelings, whether they were of love or not. Wings shimmered on the god's back, before they appeared physically. Eros was getting ready to depart.

"You can't do it yourself, you know," Eros said, standing and patting his father's shoulder. "Mother will be upset with me, I know, but why don't you let me take care of things?"

"Eros," Hermes warned, not bothering to elaborate. Hermes knew exactly how Eros _took care of things_, and he wasn't for it.

"There will be no meddling of love," Eros claimed, rolling his eyes. "Not everything I do pertains to my domain. I propose a quest."

"A quest?" Hermes screeched. "A quest? By the gods, boy, what do you pray this will accomplish?"

"Much," the god of love chirped, smirking. "Thalia's tree has been poisoned, yes?" Hermes nodded slowly, tensing up at the mention of the girl. "Naturally, as Lord Zeus has announced it is affecting her, the demigods will wish to cure the tree."

"Go on."

"The Golden Fleece."

Hermes, despite his downtrodden mood, felt a small smile flicker across his face. He had always labeled himself a hopeful immortal, as he was prone to being inspired and dreamed as much as any mortal. As soon as the words exited Eros' mouth, Hermes started to believe that the plan might just work.

"You want Thalia and Percy to travel to find the Fleece, and run into Luke?" The god of travelers asked, amusement shining in his eyes.

Eros nodded, flipping his curly blond hair from his face. "Of course! Who else could best convince Luke? We can get the children of the Big Three to try and reason with him."

"Why do you care so much to help me, son?" Hermes asked, growing slightly suspicious. It wasn't every day that a god of love offered help to him, of all immortals.

Eros shrugged. "I represent love. One thing I value most is family. No matter how irritating they get, no matter how many times one of them ruins your day, no matter if they have angered you, they are always there for you. You never turn your back on family."

Hermes nodded slowly, letting the information sink in.

He would never turn his back on Luke. He couldn't. Luke didn't think he was cared for, but he was. Hermes had made wrong decisions in the past, but he didn't plan on making any more. He wanted to save his son, but he knew he couldn't do it directly. He would require the assistance of the two most talked about demigods on Olympus. Thalia Grace and Percy Jackson.

* * *

Percy shoveled up a bird corpse with a disgusted scowl, tossing it into one of the many giant wheelbarrows in the field. He and Thalia had spent the entire afternoon collecting dead Stymphalian birds, and they only had a few more left to go. The smell was almost too strong for him, and he found himself thoroughly grossed out. He looked to his right to see that the daughter of Zeus wasn't fending well, either. She looked seconds away from throwing up.

Cleaning up the field wasn't enough of a punishment in Tantalus' eyes. He was forcing the two of them to wash dishes after dinner as well. He claimed the poor birds were frightened by something Thalia had thought, and had proceeded to attack. Percy knew she could talk to birds and other creatures of her father's domain, but he wasn't so sure that they could read her thoughts.

The son of Poseidon chuckled softly, remembering his response to the new activities director. He had told Tantalus to go off and "chase a fucking donut," which had only served to anger the director even further. It had roused a laugh out of Thalia, though, and that had sort of made the risk worth it.

He felt the daughter of Zeus approach him, and quickly flung another bird into the wheelbarrow. She smirked aloofly at the display, although her face betrayed her false indifference. He could tell she didn't like the punishment any more than he did. If it were possible, she hated it even more.

"It's a blow to your pride, isn't it?" she remarked, setting her hands on her hips. "I know it is to mine. There's no sense in us doing this."

When they were finished, they began transporting the wheelbarrows to the kitchen. The only thing on Percy's mind was the fact that Tantalus wanted to cook the corpses they had just spent hours picking up. It was perverse, wicked and wrong and every possible way. What was _with _that guy? He must've had a really rough childhood.

Wheeling in the last load of dead bird, Percy wiped the sweat from his brow. "So, what do you think he wants these birds for?"

Thalia snorted. "Well, he's either going to train them to cook, and have them make us dinner…or they _are_ dinner."

Percy scrunched his nose. "That's repulsive."

"You know, I'm pretty sure that's the biggest word I've ever heard you use."

"I'm not eating dinner tonight," the son of Poseidon claimed as they headed into the pavilion. Campers were already at their tables, anticipating their meal. Percy didn't think he could stomach the bird meat. He had to pluck their bodies from the ground.

"Me either," Thalia agreed, lightly patting his shoulder to say goodbye. She walked to her table, taking a seat on the empty bench.

Percy found his way to his seat, his eyes still observing her. He shook his head at his actions, turning to look at his other friend, Annabeth. She flashed him a timid smile, brushing a lock of honey golden hair behind her ear. He sent her a half-hearted smile in return, no fully understanding why he couldn't display a genuine grin.

Tantalus clanged two glasses together, instantly grabbing every camper's attention. He smiled like a reptilian, his dark eyes scanning the sea of timid faces. "To celebrate the victory of Clarisse La Rue at the first chariot race, we will be serving a three course meal. Anyone up for bird?"

The Ares cabin cheered loudly, and Percy couldn't help but envision them all as hungry cavemen. Clarisse rose from the table, bowed, and quickly sat back down with red-tinted cheeks. Most of the cabins clapped appropriately, Percy included, but the daughter of Zeus didn't bother looking up from her table.

Annabeth, wearing a scowl, clapped slowly. Connor and Travis weren't paying any mind to what was going on around them, Castor and Pollux were trading whispers, and some daughters of Aphrodite were staring blankly over at Clarisse. The son of Poseidon didn't get why others were acting that way. He was angry at Tantalus, but he was still respectful enough to applaud Clarisse.

Annabeth was probably sore from losing and bitter about the race. Connor, Travis, and the sons of Dionysus genuinely didn't care, and the daughters of the love goddess were most likely planning something mischievous. Percy didn't bother wondering what the girls were plotting—they were always trying to hook campers up or break them apart.

"Raise your glasses, campers, and be merry this evening!" Tantalus urged, charging for a fried wing, only to have it leap away from him. He grumbled to himself as the campers were handed their full plates. "Dig in."

* * *

Thalia winced as she shoved her gloved hand into the lava, scrubbing at a dirty platter. Tantalus had sentenced them to kitchen duty again, something she had seen coming. Tyson had gleefully volunteered to help them, and even Annabeth jumped at the opportunity. The daughter of Athena was standing beside Thalia, passing her dishes. Percy and Tyson were separating the dishes into designated bins.

"Something has been bothering me," Annabeth said randomly, dropping a glass into the sink.

"Oh, yeah? What's that?" Thalia mumbled, beginning to wash it.

"You said you encountered Lamia," the blonde demigoddess said, sighing. "Do you know her story?" Thalia shook her head. "Lamia was a mistress of your father."

Thalia snorted. "That's not unusual."

"Hera, of course, was jealous. So, like any other reasonable goddess would do, she killed Lamia's children and turned her into a vampire-like monster. In old tales, she fed off of children. Hera cursed her with the inability to close her eyes, so she would always obsess over the sight of her dying kids."

The daughter of Zeus visibly cringed. "Hera's a crazy one. That does explain something about Lamia, though."

"What?" Annabeth asked, furrowing her blonde brows.

"She tried to bite my neck, but her hand started burning once she touched the mark," Thalia explained, gesturing to the glove-covered tattoo. "Lamia started screeching about Hera, and how I was a servant to her or something."

"Monsters are devious, but I have a feeling she wasn't saying that to get to you," Annabeth said, shaking her head. "Hera has made you something to her. She may not have made you a servant, but she most likely connected you two in a way. Her enemies can't kill you. Sounds a bit suspicious to me."

"That doesn't make sense. Why would she want to keep me from being killed?"

"Protecting her wasn't her intention," the blonde answered easily. "That was just a benefit of whatever she did. I'm not sure what that mark does, but I know for sure that it's not meant to protect you."

Thalia frowned, scrubbing country-fried Stymphalian bird from a plate. Nothing was making sense to her, and it was bothering her. She wasn't a daughter of Athena, but she liked to know what was going on around her. If something involved her, she wanted to be informed about it. Thalia was tired of all the mystery. She wanted to know what Hera desired of her.

The daughter of Zeus handed Percy the clean plate. He took it with a boyish smile before he dried it with a towel and surrendered it to Tyson.

"What do you make of that dream Percy had?" Annabeth asked suddenly, passing the daughter of Zeus a dirty plate.

She dunked it in the lava before lifting it out and scrubbing. "What dream? The one with Grover?" The daughter of Athena nodded. "I'm thinking that it is somewhat of a concern. Percy would know if it wasn't a prophetic dream."

'You're right." Annabeth passed her another dish. She leaned behind Thalia and whistled loudly. "Hey, Seaweed Brain, switch with me. You aren't getting those dry enough!"

"What?" the daughter of Zeus asked, only to receive no reply.

Percy stood to her left, and they watched as Annabeth began drying the clean dishes. "What's up with her?" the son of Poseidon asked, his eyebrows drawn together.

Thalia shrugged. "No idea. We were just talking about Grover."

"My dream?" he asked. She nodded. "I'm worried about him. He's out there, Thalia. I know he is. I had another dream about him last night."

The daughter of Zeus looked to him in surprise, accepting the dirty goblet he was holding. She dunked it beneath the lava, before tapping Annabeth on the shoulder. When the blonde glanced at her, she said, "Percy had another dream about Grover."

"What happened?" Annabeth inquired, intently drying a bowl.

"Grover was actually talking to me. He said a Cyclops," Percy lowered his voice, not wanting to grab Tyson's attention, "had captured him. Grover formed an empathy link with me, to let me know what was going on. He said something was on the island—something powerful and natural—and it attracted satyrs looking for Pan."

"Empathy link?" Annabeth asked. "That's extremely dangerous! Does he realize—"

"You're missing the point, Annabeth," Thalia interrupted. "Let him finish."

The blonde glared, but stopped lecturing. Percy released a breath of air. "The Cyclops trapped him, but Grover fooled him into thinking that he was a female Cyclops. They're getting married."

Annabeth scoffed. "Please tell me _that's _not the point."

Thalia shook her head. "Percy, back track a little bit. What was that thing about attracting satyrs?"

He sighed. "He didn't say much. Whatever it was, it's smells as powerful as Pan does. That's the trap. Satyrs go to the island thinking they will find him. Instead, they find some Poly-guy. Grover said something about the Sea of Monsters."

"Polyphemus," Annabeth said in realization. "The Sea of Monsters…oh gods."

"Odysseus," the daughter of Zeus noted, not meaning to say it aloud. "He jammed his eye with a giant wooden thing, right?"

"If we're talking Homer, yes," the daughter of Athena said. "Anyway, if that's true…if Grover has found _it_, there might be hope for the camp."

"Found what?" Percy asked, cringing in disgust at the sight of leftovers. He scraped them off into the trash before passing the plate on.

Annabeth groaned, rolling her gray eyes. "I'll give you a hint. What do you get when you skin a ram?"

"A subscription to Reader's Digest?"

"A mess?"

Thalia and Percy glanced at each other before bursting into laughter. Annabeth exhaled loudly in annoyance, stomping her foot.

"I think yours was closer," the daughter of Zeus joked.

"I'd hope so," Percy said, chuckling.

"You get a _fleece_. And, if that ram just happens to be golden…?" Annabeth hinted, raising her eyebrows.

"The Golden Fleece," Percy remarked. "Are you serious?"

"Remember the Gray Sisters? They said they knew the location of the thing you seek. They brought up Jason, who they told how to find the fleece nearly three-thousand years ago. You do know the story of Jason and the Argonauts, don't you?"

Jason. Thalia grimaced, scrubbing a plate so hard it caused the lava to squeak. "Yeah," she said. "Everyone knows his story. I was read Medea once."

Percy nodded. "The movie with the clay skeletons."

"Percy, you're hopeless. Thalia, don't be so hard on the plate," Annabeth instructed. "There were these two children of Zeus, Cadmus and Europa. They were going to be sacrificed, but then they prayed for Zeus to spare them. He sent them Chrysomallus, the flying golden ram. It carried them all the way to Colchis in Asia Minor. Well, it carried Cadmus, anyway. Europa fell off during the journey, but that's not really important."

Percy nudged Thalia playfully. "It was probably important to her," he murmured, but Annabeth heard him and glared.

"The _point _is," the daughter of Athena growled. "Cadmus sacrificed the ram to the gods when he arrived in Colchis, and hung the fleece in a tree in the middle of the kingdom. It brought prosperity to the land. The animals no longer grew ill, and the plants were greener and healthier. The kingdom was safe from plagues. That's why Jason wanted it. It could cure lands, strengthen nature—"

"Heal Thalia," Percy interrupted, meeting the eyes of the daughter of Zeus. "Heal your tree."

Annabeth nodded. "It would strengthen our borders. But, it's been missing for centuries. Tons of heroes have searched for it, to no avail."

"Grover found it," Thalia stated. "We could kill two birds with one stone."

Percy pretended to gag. "Let's try and avoid talking about killing birds. I've had enough of that to last me a millennia."

"It's too coincidental. What if it's some kind of trap?" the daughter of Athena proposed.

Percy smirked. "No way!"

Thalia hesitated. "I think Annabeth is right, Percy. It's too perfect. Almost like it was planned."

Percy frowned. "What other choice do we have? Are you two going to help me or not?"

Annabeth scowled. "Percy, it's dangerous. We'll have to fight Polyphemus. There are some things even two children of the Big Three can't do. We'll have to go into the Sea of Monsters."

"Where is that, anyway?" Thalia asked. Annabeth shot her a look, making the daughter of Zeus feel incredibly foolish. "What? I know what it _is_. I just don't know _where _it is."

"The Mediterranean?" Percy guessed.

"No...well, kind of. But, no," Annabeth replied, succeeding in confusing her two friends. Thalia was pretty sure the blonde had started speaking another language, and not one they could understand. "Like everything else in our world, it shifts with Western Civilization. It used to be the Mediterranean."

"And now it's…?"

Thalia cleared her throat. "Funky things go on, wherever it is. The Mist probably masks the monsters and whatnot. The Devil's Triangle?"

Annabeth nodded. "Bermuda Triangle. Roughly it goes from Miami, to Bermuda, to Puerto Rico and back again."

"Okay…so we know where to look," Percy said, nodding to himself. "That gives us a pretty good idea."

The blonde shook her head. "Percy, the area is _huge_. Finding a tiny island amidst the Sea of Monsters…it's like finding a kernel of corn in a hill of Legos. We have no idea where to start looking."

_30, 31, 75, 12. _That was in the Bermuda Triangle.

"Speak for yourself," Thalia grumbled, washing the last dish of the night. "Don't you remember what the Gray Sisters said? They're coordinates to the island. They have to be."

"30, 31, 75, 12," Percy recalled. "Gods. You're right."

"30 degrees, 31 minutes north, 75 degrees, 12 minutes west," Annabeth informed, her eyes lighting up. "Thalia, how did you figure that out?"

"Don't sound so surprised," the daughter of Zeus scoffed. "As for how, though, I can't honestly say I know. It just kind of popped into my head. Hey, can you pass me that spray bottle?"

Percy handed her the bottle, although he looked slightly bewildered. "We need to get a quest," he said.

"We'll have to get through Tantalus first," the daughter of Athena warned. "We need to get his permission. I highly doubt we'll receive it, though."

"What if we call him out in front of everyone at the campfire tonight?" the son of Poseidon said. "He'll feel pressured. He will have to agree."

"Maybe," Annabeth said, trying to hide her hopefulness. Thalia smiled. "Let's get this last plate done."

By the time the four of them got to the campfire, the Apollo cabin had already begun leading the sing-along. They struggled in vain to lift the spirits of the camp, singing traditional Greek hymns and spoofs of common camp songs.

Thalia sang half-heartedly, her words mere mumbles. "The fulfiller who whispers words of wisdom to Themis…"

"The mistress served by unseen guests, nurses handsome heroes to rest," some kid from the Apollo group sang loudly.

Thalia realized that she had been singing something completely different. Blushing, she turned her gaze to her combat boots. When she glanced up again, she noticed Percy was staring at her strangely.

"What?" she muttered, suddenly defensive. "What the hell are you looking at?"

"Don't worry, I don't sing the songs they do, either," he whispered to her, sending her an amused grin. She punched his shoulder hard, drawing a wince from him. "Geez! Don't abuse! I didn't hear the words, if that comforts you at all."

"Whatever," the scoffed, playing off her embarrassment.

The flames danced slowly, turning a dreary gray. The fire was so pitifully warm that it was almost cool, and it only rose to three feet. Dionysus grumbled loud enough for everyone to hear, and stood from his stone seat. He shot Tantalus a disgruntled look before marching to the Big House.

After the last song—Down by the Aegean—was over, Tantalus sighed in feigned joy. "Well, that was simply lovely!" The activities director smiled coldly at the campers. "Now then! Some announcements about tomorrow's schedule."

"Sir," Percy cut in, earning him a threatening eye twitch from Tantalus.

"Our kitchen boy has something to say?" he taunted, causing some children of Ares to snicker.

Thalia clenched her fists, but tried to distract herself from getting too angry. She didn't like when people picked on her friends, and she would be damned if she was about to sit back and let it happen. The daughter of Zeus stood, watching as Percy and Annabeth did the same. Thalia glanced around at the timid faces.

Many of the demigods feared her—namely, the children of the more domestic gods. Their parents didn't represent outstanding power or military prowess, making the half-bloods struggle to obtain higher respect. The demigods always fixed her and Percy with the same look of vigilance, as if they feared one of them would one day wake up and feel like destroying the entire camp.

She knew none of them would dare stand up and protest _her_. She hadn't necessarily earned their respect, she just had it. Parentage was paramount in their society, and it decided everything at camp. It wasn't necessarily fair, but it was easy. Everything about a demigod was traced back to their godly parent. For instance, if a camper disrespected her, it was a sign of disrespect to Zeus. It was like that for every demigod, but some gods were considered weaker than others. It wasn't right, but it was the way things ran in the mythological world.

Campers were separated according to their parentage, rather than skill. Dionysus and Chiron claimed that the chores were straight and even across the board, but they really weren't. Children of the Big Three—namely, Percy and herself—were given tougher jobs that often required more strength and endurance. If there was a nest of monsters near camp that needed to be cleared out, the two of them were sent out. If they weren't there, Clarisse and two of her brothers would take the job.

Children of Demeter were supposed to brighten the land, and the Apollo cabin provided entertainment during campfires and other events. The cabin of Aphrodite allied with the children of Athena (which was certainly rare) to organize ceremonies and the like. The sons and daughters of Hephaestus supplied generic training weaponry and devices. The only thing cabins shared with one another was the obligation to keep their spaces clean.

"We know how to save the camp," Thalia said, getting straight to the point before Annabeth could beat around the bush. The fire burned a bright yellow, and the flames rose a few feet. "We discovered where the Golden Fleece is."

Orange flames flittered ten feet high. Tantalus started to interrupt, but Percy already started to tell everyone about his dreams of Grover and the Cyclops Polyphemus. Annabeth retold the story of the Golden Fleece, informing the campers of its abilities.

"Golden Fleece," murmured Beckendorf. He nodded thoughtfully. "Yeah, that could heal the camp. That could save Thalia's tree."

Connor winked at the daughter of Zeus. "I was starting to worry about my girl."

Thalia didn't bother to argue, knowing that he was only joshing. Percy tensed beside her, crossing his arms over his chest.

"That's nonsense," Tantalus scoffed, shaking his head. "We don't need saving." All eyes turned to him, and he began to fidget uncomfortably. "Besides, the Sea of Monsters? That's hardly an exact location—"

Thalia smirked, unable to fight back her inherited arrogance. "We know _exactly_ where it is."

"Oh, is that so? Where, pray tell?"

"30, 31, 75, 12," Percy snickered at the director's look of confusion. "They're coordinates, off the coast of Florida." He looked to Thalia. "I guess you and I both have a knack for latitude and longitude, huh?"

"So, you two are like living, breathing Garmin—"

"Travis, shut up," Connor said, shoving his brother with his shoulder.

"We need a quest, Tantalus," Thalia said, raising a dark brow.

"A quest," Annabeth murmured. "We need to get the Golden Fleece."

"Now, hold on just a damn minute…" Tantalus began, but was soon interrupted by the chanting of the campers.

"We need a quest! We need a quest!" they chorused. The flames rose even higher, reflecting the hopes and urgency of the camp.

"It isn't necessary!" Tantalus argued, looking lost.

"We need a quest!" they cried again, their voices even louder than before. "We need a quest!"

"Fine!" Tantalus growled. "You brats want me to assign some stupid quest?"

"Uh, yeah," Connor remarked, rolling his eyes. "Wasn't the screaming clear enough?"

"Here's your sign…" Malcolm muttered from beside Annabeth, causing many of his siblings to laugh aloud.

"Very well. I shall authorize a champion—one who has taken great measures in order to defend and bring honor to this camp—to go questing for the Golden Fleece." He glared at the three scheming demigods. "The champion will be permitted to take two companions, and consult the Oracle. I think the choice is fairly obvious."

Thalia saw the devious glint in his otherwise trepid eyes, and immediately came to the conclusion that he wasn't going to choose her or her friends.

"Clarisse, _you _shall lead this quest."

The children of Ares roared loudly in excitement, slapping their sister on the back to congratulate her. Clarisse stood up, looking incredibly stunned. The fire displayed several different colors as confusion and disappointment fled through the crowd. Clarisse physically swelled with pride, placing her hands on her hips.

"I accept the quest!" she declared, puffing out her chest even further. Her siblings cheered and egged her on, stomping their boots against the ground and annoying the hell out of everyone.

"The dream came to me!" Percy argued, his face growing red in frustration. "I should be the one to go on this quest!"

"Sit down!" Sherman yelled. "You had your chance last summer!"

"He just wants another chance to shine," snickered his brother Mark.

Thalia frankly couldn't stand the two. If they weren't harassing vulnerable campers, they were rattling on stupidly.

Clarisse glared at Percy. "I accept the quest," she repeated, gritting the words through her teeth. "I, the daughter of Ares, will save this camp."

The buffoons started up again, cheering and clapping louder than Thalia was able to think. Annabeth began to protest, which of course led her cabin to back her up. The daughter of Zeus held her head in annoyance whenever all of the campers began to ally and take opposing positions. Why couldn't their discussions at camp ever be civil and conclusive?

"Silence, you brats!" Tantalus cried. "Sit down, and I'll be kind enough to tell you a ghost story."

Thalia shook her head in aggravation, storming away from the campfire. Fuck him. He must have had a marshmallow shoved up his ass, if he thought she was going to stick around and hear him prattle. She walked into her cabin, slamming the impressive doors shut behind her. She scanned her cabin for something to throw.

She didn't bother to process what was going on as she tore a wing from a bird statue and flung it across the room. She knew how heated and flushed her cheeks were before she bothered checking in her bathroom mirror. Why couldn't anything go smoothly for once? She had so many things going wrong in her life. There was too much stress, even for her to be able to handle. It was a tough pill for her to swallow, but she was having great trouble dealing with it all on her own.

Thalia sat down angrily on the small bed in her little alcove, setting her face in her palms. Before she could ponder any longer, the doors to her cabin flew open. Instantly, she was on her feet with her fists raised. Percy marched over to her, before beginning to pace the small length in front of her. She didn't ask him what was wrong, because she suspected he was seconds from revealing it to her.

"Annabeth is going with Clarisse!"

"What?" Thalia questioned, almost numbly. There was no way the daughter of Athena would go on a quest with Clarisse. That was turning her back on them, in a way.

"Clarisse chose her, because Annabeth is knowledgeable about the Sea of Monsters. Annabeth tried to say no, but Tantalus said that it wasn't her decision. She and Silena Beaugard are being forced to go!"

"We can't go without Annabeth!"

"We couldn't go anyway," Percy snapped. "What? You think we'll be able to just up and leave, and be just dandy on our own?"

"Well, yes," a voice called, "that's the idea, son of Poseidon."

The two of them turned to see a teenage boy dressed in white, doting wings and a quiver full of pink arrows. The daughter of Zeus kept herself from grimacing at the sight of the god. He was certainly a sight for sour eyes, but she knew who he was.

"Eros, I presume?" she said, scratching the back of her head.

He smirked, but nodded. "Children of the Big Three are _so _disappointing. I expected Lord Eros."

"Lord Eros, I presume?" Percy corrected, sending her a wry grin.

The god laughed. "Yes, yes," he said. "Now, on to business. You wish to travel to the Sea of Monsters, yes?" The demigods nodded timidly. "Yo! I got just the things. Are you ready for this?"

Thalia shrugged. "Uh, I guess."

He reached into his quiver but before he could pull anything from it, his cell phone rang. He hurriedly dug it from his pocket, excusing himself. "It's mother," he whispered to them, answering the call.

Percy barely managed to hide his scoff, nudging Thalia with his elbow. Eros got a call from his mother? How awkward.

"Yes, mother, Psyche and I are still going strong…no, no, the snakes you sent did nothing to harm either of us…I'm sorry for not asking for your blessing. Well, no, I do not believe it was right of you to punish her exactly…yes, yes, mother knows all. Fine…if we hold a banquet in your honor? Mother! Bah, curses! I will get back to you…love you, too…yes, I have clean underwear. Bye."

Thalia clutched her abdomen, doubling over in her laughter. Her chest was in extreme pain, but she couldn't stop. Percy turned red, unsuccessful in trying to muffle his chuckles.

Eros shrugged carelessly, unaffected by their laughter. "Moms, right? What can you do? Eh, now where were we?"

Thalia willed her laughter dead, catching her breath. "Clean underwear?"

He glared, but it looked more playful than anything. "Gifts," he said, recalling it on his own. "I bring you gifts to assist you in your quest. Most of them our courtesy of my father?"

Percy scowled. "Ares? No thank you."

Eros chuckled, shaking his head. "No, not Ares. Hermes."

Ares? Where had Percy heard that from? Her father had taught her that the parents of Eros were Aphrodite and Hermes. Maybe there were rumors? It wouldn't surprise her.

"If one of you says whore, I will end you," Eros threatened, his voice and gaze suddenly dark. "My mother is not and never will be a whore. She falls in love and indulges in it. She does not go around sleeping for money, nor does she toss her body in every man's bed. Do I make myself clear?"

_Yeah-huh, momma's boy. _"Loud and clear."

"Crystal."

Eros released a breath of air, as if he had just removed a great burden from his chest. "Okay, next line of business. Gifts!"

He dug around in his quiver until he pulled out a slender, steel canister. It was decorated with crimson and gold ancient scenes—Hercules slaying the Nemean Lion and lifting the three-headed dog Cerberus.

"That's Hercules," Percy said. "But—"

"Don't ever look a gift horse in the mouth," Eros cut him off, laughing at his own pun. "Get it, horse? Because you're the son of Poseidon?" When the demigods only stared blankly at him, he sighed. "Anyway, this is a collector's item from _Hercules Busts Heads_, the first season. Hermes was obsessed with it. Compliments of him, of course."

"Why didn't Hermes bring it here?" Thalia asked. "Why send you as his message boy?"

"He's busy," Eros supplied, but it was obviously a fib. "Gods are always busy. Constantly doing things. Immortality isn't all it's cracked up to be. We work extra-overtime and don't get pay for it, either. Next gift."

He tossed Percy the thermos, and he easily caught it. He observed the lid, his eyes widening. "It works as a compass!"

Eros raised a brow. "Clever. I didn't realize that. The intended purpose is a lot more complicated, though. You ever hear of the gift of Aeolus?"

Thalia nodded. "Strong winds from all four corners of the world. It's supposed to propel the owner across the sea."

Eros frowned. "Okay, so maybe it's not so complicated."

"Sorry."

"Yeah, yeah," he brushed off. "Whenever you use it, only uncap a tad. If you don't, you could release all four winds at once, and that…you don't want that." He reached into his quiver and pulled out a bottle of chewable vitamins.

"Are those shaped like monsters?" Percy asked, bewildered. "What the hell…"

The god nodded, looking slightly impressed. "Yeah! Minotaur and the Furies. Sweet. These are from Hermes himself, of course. No other background source. Anyway, these aren't your average iron supplements. They are extremely potent. Only take one if you really, really need it."

"Really need it?" Thalia repeated. "Well, how will we know that? We don't even know what they do."

"Take one of these and you'll feel like yourself again," Eros claimed, smiling devilishly. He threw the bottle to her, and she instantly scanned the ingredients. "Nothing out of the ordinary," he assured.

"We appreciate the help and all," Percy said, biting his lip. "But, why do you and Lord Hermes wish to help us?"

"You know…Grover isn't the only lost soul that needs saving, and both Hermes and I realize that." Eros looked at them almost timidly, and Thalia could tell that it wasn't a common expression for him. "The two of you can save many more."

"_Luke_?" Percy gritted through his teeth. "You want us to save Luke?"

Thalia turned her gaze to the floor of her cabin. Percy harbored great hatred for the demigod son of Hermes, and she didn't exactly share that animosity. Luke had been her best friend once upon a time, and she couldn't really bring herself to completely hate him. But, she was the daughter of Zeus, and she knew who her enemies were. She wasn't intending to bribe Luke back to their side, because she knew that he was determined. It would be a waste of time, and fruitless hope would cloud her judgment.

"Luke hates his father. He can't be saved. He wants to tear Olympus down stone by stone, Lord Eros. Even if we could find him, there's no hope," the son of Poseidon argued, although it looked like he was trying to convince himself.

Eros flashed a wistful smile. "I'll tell you what I told my father, Perseus. Can I call you P.J?"

"No."

"P.J," the god said, "one thing about family? You can't give up on them. It's not an obligation, it's like a golden rule. No matter how hard you try, you can _never _fully turn your back on your family. Luke…he's family." He turned his baby blue gaze to Thalia. "We jump through hoops for family."

"Luke betrayed everyone! He hates the Olympians," Percy said.

"It doesn't matter if your family hates you, embarrasses you, or doesn't appreciate you. Hades! My own mother was out to get my beloved wife, but that doesn't stop me from loving either of them. Do you understand what I'm saying, P.J?"

Percy sighed, reaching out for Thalia's free hand and squeezing it. Eros smirked at the display, but kept quiet. "N-no. I don't think I do."

Eros shrugged. "Give it time, then," he said, flexing his beautiful white wings. "I must be going. Here, take these bags with you."

With a wave of his hand, three duffel bags appeared in front of them. "Three?" Thalia asked, eyebrows furrowed. "Why three?"

The doors once again flew open, and Tyson stood in the doorway. Percy quickly let go of Thalia's hand, not wanting his brother to get the wrong idea again. "Friends!" the Cyclops called gleefully.

Eros raised a brow and lowered his voice. "Does that answer your question, doll?" Thalia didn't bother to reply. "The bags are waterproof, of course. There is a ship not too far from here. Go to the ocean, and if you pray dutifully enough to your fathers, you might be able to make it."

"My father? What would my father do to help us get to the ship?" Thalia asked.

Eros shrugged. "Supply an airplane? I don't know. Do I look like Athena to you?"

"Wait!" Percy said. "We can't do this! I haven't even agreed to go. We'll be banished from camp if we go."

"Yes, brother," Tyson approved, nodding slowly. He stomped his way over to the demigods, waving in the god's face. "Hello."

"Hello there, Cyclops. How are you?"

"I am good!"

"That's fabulous to hear," Eros said, smiling. He turned to Thalia and Percy. "Such a teddy bear! I must be on my way. You have approximately five minutes to get out there and on the ship. Harpies will come for you after that. May the gods be with you, cousins."

Eros shimmered in the cold air and vanished from sight, leaving the demigods in immense confusion. Percy frowned, looking down at his thermos. Thalia strung a yellow duffel bag over her shoulder and watched as Tyson followed her example immediately.

The son of Poseidon scowled. "We can't do this."

"Can't we?" Thalia countered, raising an eyebrow. "Come on. I know that rebel is in there somewhere," she joked, punching him in the chest. "Ready for another adventure?"

Percy tried to keep his expression straight, but a silly smile broke through. He nodded quickly, snatching his bag up and shoving the thermos into it. He strung it on his shoulder and gave his brother a high-five before leading his friends outside.

Before Thalia could close the doors to her cabin, a sparkle caught her eye. The demigoddess leaned down and picked the object from the grass, bewilderment lacing her brow at the sight of it. It was a thick gold band—a ring, she realized—with ancient script engraved around half of its surface. She couldn't decipher the text, as it was worn and fading.

Percy noticed a scrap of paper lying on the grass and lifted it, handing it to her. "You read it," he said. "I have a feeling it's for you. Being outside your cabin and all."

Thalia nodded, accepting the parchment. She unfolded it, her eyes slowly processing the cursive words.

_The Ring of Gyges. Without the assistance of the daughter of Athena, you're going to need this. Slip it onto your ring finger, and adjust it whenever necessary. Simply twist it until the words are facing down. Use it during your time of need, and use it wisely._

Thalia smiled slightly, before she willed the expression from her face. She knew it was her father who sent the ring. It had to have been. She wondered why he hadn't visited her. Was there some kind of trouble on Olympus? Had any of the other gods discovered his breaking of law?

The daughter of Zeus didn't know what the Ring of Gyges was or what it did, but she was eager to find out.


	9. Silena Starts a War

**A/N: Shortest chapter I've had in a while, and I apologize ahead of time. The next chapter will be much longer, and be full of action! Thank you for all of the reviews and alerts, and I hope you enjoy reading (even though it's shorter than usual).**

**Warning: Contains enraged Clarisse, shifting points of view, a poorly written flashback, and hippocampi.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, the Sea of Monsters, or any other PJO book.**

* * *

**Silena Starts a War**

"You think maybe it's like in Lord of the Rings?" Percy asked suddenly, shocking Thalia out of her reverie. She shot him a look of confusion, and he rolled his eyes. "The ring. Do you think it could be, like, the One Ring to rule them all?"

"You're such a dork," Thalia replied, cautiously sliding the ring onto her finger. She smirked. "Damn, my father might just be a dweeb."

"Like you aren't?" Percy snorted. "Anyway, what I meant by that was, do you think it turns you invisible? I mean, Lord Zeus mentioned Annabeth, and she has the cap of invisibility. So, maybe you'll need to be invisible for something?"

"Let's throw it in Mount Doom and find out," she joked, ignoring his scowl. "We'll find out when we use it, Percy. We have to get going. You heard Eros back there. The harpies will be here any minute."

"Hurry!" Tyson urged, nodding.

The three of them rushed to the shore, spotting a large cruise ship in the distance. "How in Hades are we supposed to get all the way to that ship?" Thalia asked, squinting to get a better look.

"Remember? Eros said I might need to ask my father for help," Percy supplied.

"What are you waiting for?" she inquired, rolling her eyes.

"Right," he said, clearing his throat. He stepped into the water. "Hey, Dad. Long time, no talk—"

"Percy," Thalia whispered harshly. "Get on with it! It's not that hard to do."

"We need your help," the son of Poseidon said, raising his voice. "We have no way to get to that ship, and we need to get there before the harpies come."

Waves crashed against the shore, and crickets sounded loudly around them. Tyson was joyfully swatting at a bug, giggling every time it wiggled through his mighty hands. The cries of the harpies rang through the air, and the young Cyclops instantly ceased playing. Percy frowned in confusion, glancing out towards the ship.

"Maybe we could try again?" Thalia suggested.

Percy shook his head, opening his mouth to speak. Before he could get a word out, he noticed three broad white lines surface approximately one hundred yards from the shore. The lines traveled impressively fast through the waves, rushing towards the three. When in viewing distance, the heads of three white stallions burst through the water.

"Fish ponies!" Tyson cried gleefully, clapping his hands together in excitement.

The three creatures had the upper bodies of horses, but from the waist down they were all glimmering scales.

Thalia raised a dark brow. "Fish ponies," she remarked dryly. "Right. Well, I'm pretty sure they're called hippocampi, buddy."

"Hippocampi," Tyson repeated slowly, smiling over at her innocently. "Fish ponies!"

Thalia couldn't fend off a small, amused smile. "Yeah, yeah. Fish ponies."

Percy released a breath of air. He held tightly onto the shoulder strap of his duffel bag. "So much for Annabeth keeping us from doing something stupid. Let's get out of here."

* * *

Zeus tightened his grip on the armrest of his throne, glancing around at the solemn faces of his Olympian family. Hera sat nearly motionless next to him, the only expression on her face one of devious intention. His brother Poseidon stared blankly, although his frown betrayed his indifference. He was concerned for his demigod son, the King of the Gods noted.

Suddenly, he felt incredibly selfish. Whenever a god attempted to visit any of their demigod children, Zeus was the first to jump down their throat. But, he was the one that constantly drifted down to consult his daughter Thalia. He couldn't help it that he cared greatly for her. He frowned, realizing that Poseidon cared for his son just as much, but he had tried his best to abide by the ancient laws.

He wished there were a possible way for him to ease up on the rest of them, but he had to enforce the law—even if he failed to abide by it himself. He glanced over at his wife. She didn't like that he often broke the law to tend to his daughter's needs. The young girl was far too reliant on him, she had claimed coldly. Hera believed his demigod daughter would only use him time and time again, before turning her back on him.

He didn't believe all mortals were so selfish. At least, he didn't wish to say so. Seraphina—he cleared his throat consciously at the thought of the young, tall and gorgeous blonde—hadn't even been that selfish, either. She had only grown slightly dependent, and eventually she ceased to care about anything whatsoever—including her own children.

Everything in him screamed that he should visit her soon, but he rejected each of his wistful thoughts. Hera would be absolutely livid with him if she were to discover what he had done for Seraphina. For Thalia. For Jason. Swallowing hard, he removed his hands from his armrests.

He knew he had no other choice. Even though it absolutely _killed _him to do so, he had to back up. He was supporting his demigod daughter too much, and he would soon be threatened by the others if he kept it up any longer.

Zeus recalled his earlier interaction with her. They had gotten into somewhat of a spat, and he knew that she had yet to simmer down. He had always loathed arguing with his daughter, just as he had hated getting into disputes with her hard-headed mother.

He wanted a chance to apologize, which was most unusual for him. But, before that time arrived, he would be required to wait. He would not be permitted, under any circumstances, to interfere in the quest. Hera had been keeping an even closer eye on him, now that she knew of his intentions to assist his daughter whenever she needed him.

"All of you have been called here to Olympus today to discuss the recent tragedy at Camp Half-Blood," Zeus announced, clearing his throat. "As you all know, my daughter Thalia's tree has been poisoned. By who, well…that is the question, isn't it?"

Demeter turned her nose up. "Hasn't Chiron already admitted to damaging such a beautiful plant?"

Dionysus sulked in his throne. "Demeter, you know as well as I that he had nothing to do with the poisoning. He did not deserve to be sent off."

"You just miss your pinochle buddy. What more could we have done?" Hephaestus grunted. "He admitted to it, and he must face to consequences. It doesn't matter if he is to blame or not."

"Oh, but it does!" Dionysus argued, suddenly sitting up straight in his throne. "Is this what has become of Olympian justice?"

Zeus pondered the thought, while his brother Poseidon glanced at him grimly. "Chiron has served us for centuries," the god of the sea stated. "It is only fair that he be given the benefit of all doubts—"

"No," the King of the Gods suddenly cut him off. His previously shaken nerves had been steeled. He knew that he must say what is best. "Until proven otherwise, Chiron is guilty of his alleged crimes."

"I presume you only wish for someone to blame?" Hera taunted him, effectively challenging him in front of everyone. He fixed his cold gaze on her, and she only smirked wider.

"Council dismissed. There is no more discussion."

* * *

Annabeth tossed and turned in her bed, finding it damn near impossible to succumb to sleep. She was worried, which wasn't anything too unusual for her. She wanted to go on the quest to retrieve the Golden Fleece, but the circumstances weren't exactly the ones she had in mind. She desired to go with Percy and Thalia, her two best friends.

Okay, so she and Thalia hadn't really gotten the chance to reconnect, but they were and always would be best friends. She wondered to herself when she would actually get the opportunity to spend some time with the daughter of Zeus. She definitely wanted to, and not out of obligation. She had missed her friend, and she and Percy were all that Annabeth had left.

On any note, she didn't want to go with Clarisse. She didn't even like the daughter of Ares, with her crude gestures and rough attitude. Annabeth was used to hanging around people with tough, head-bitch-in-charge exteriors—Thalia, for example—but Clarisse took that to a whole new level. The girl had made it her priority to bully Percy and his friends, and for no particular reason at all.

_Percy did defeat Ares, _the blonde demigoddess noted thoughtfully. Greek demigods held their parents in a large light, for the most part, and they always got super offended whenever someone bashed their godly parent.

And, Silena Beaugard. Silena had never really bothered Annabeth, but they weren't close. Clarisse wasn't close with either of the two, and it made the daughter of Athena wonder why on earth she would choose them for the quest. Annabeth for her brains, obviously, but what did the daughter of Ares expect from Silena? Charm-speaking was always a valuable ally, but who would they need to sweet-talk? Polyphemus?

Chiron's words still lingered in the forefront of her mind. _Swear you will do your very best to keep these children out of danger, _he had commanded.

How could she keep them safe when she was forced to go on a quest? She had sworn on the River Styx, and there were dire consequences for breaking such a pact.

Thalia and Percy. Boy, were they a handful or what? The two of them were always getting in trouble for something or another, whether it was jointly or separately. Recently, they had gotten punished for Thalia scaring the birds or something, just days after being reprimanded for skipping a meal. The two children of the Big Three had horrible luck.

It was strange for them to be punished for skipping a meal, though, she noticed. Mr. D and Chiron had always allowed them to choose whether or not they wanted to attend a meal. Obviously, there would be a time where a camper wouldn't feel like eating. It was stupid to punish someone for something that they should be permitted to do freely.

…What if that hadn't been the true reason? Annabeth rolled onto her back, staring up at her ceiling. She was only being paranoid, she thought, trying to will away any suspicions. She failed. Thalia had apparently run off to follow Percy to his cabin, which meant they were alone together in there. Tantalus had donned a coy smirk as he announced the situation to the campers, which only served to further Annabeth's doubts. Percy and Thalia had been growing rather close to one another, hadn't they?

They had done something in his cabin, she knew it. What other explanation could there possibly be? Tantalus had fed them all some bullshit about skipping, but even Clarisse could manage to see the ridiculousness in that. It wouldn't be long before rumors spread, the daughter of Athena was sure of it. She was honestly surprised that they hadn't started already. Perhaps the children of Aphrodite were feeling like procrastinators.

_You shall sail the iron ship with warriors of bone,  
You shall find what you seek and make it your own,  
But despair for lives entombed within stone. _

After picking two other demigods for the quest, Clarisse had been given her prophecy. A large part of Annabeth—no, wait, scratch that—_all _of Annabeth had hoped the Oracle wouldn't speak to the daughter of Ares. Unfortunately, Clarisse had received a prophecy. She had only told her companions three of the lines, and Annabeth knew there was definitely something vital missing from what she had uttered to them. Clarisse was hiding something from them, and the blonde demigoddess was absolutely determined to find out what it was.

All right, so they would navigate their way through the Sea of Monsters on an iron ship full of skeletons. Nothing too strange. It was already obvious that they would find the Gold Fleece. The third line and apparently _last _line was what really worried her. Despair for unknown lives would be "entombed in stone." It didn't make any sense to Annabeth. Try as she might, she couldn't think of anything the line could possibly entail.

Clarisse would be trapped, perhaps, along with others. By what, she had no earthly idea. It was plausible that she and Silena would be captured as well. Or, maybe the lives had always been entombed and they were meant to release them. But, what entombed souls were there in mythology, besides those in the Underworld?

The daughter of Athena groaned aloud, not at all deterred when her sister, Claire, lifted her head from the soft pillows to scowl. She could only hope that her inherited wisdom would ensure her safety in the quest, along with the heath of her companions.

Giving up completely on sleeping, Annabeth crawled out of her comfy bed. She slowly crept her way towards her designated desk, carefully sitting down on her chair. After glancing around to assure herself that none of her siblings were watching her, she quietly opened the top left drawer. Her gray eyes scanned the contents of the compartment, before they landed on an old blue book.

She slipped it from its drawer, silently placing it down on the desktop in front of her. She opened its pages, flipping through several sections before she found what she had been searching for. The page was stressed more than any of the others, it seemed, and its edges were nearly withering away. She can't remember the last time she had looked through the novel—it had been given to her by Thalia and Luke.

Annabeth smiled wistfully, remembering whenever the daughter of Zeus had handed it to her.

_Annabeth sat at seven years of age, shivering beneath a wool blanket. Luke's teeth were chattering alongside her, and he managed to send her a goofy, unstable smile that soothed her discomfort. Thalia smirked at the two of them, the crisp wind tousling her short black hair. _

_ Thalia wasn't shivering like the blondes were. She wasn't cold. She never got cold. Annabeth wasn't complaining, of course—it left more blankets available. Luke had always been hesitant about allowing the daughter of Zeus to go coverless, but the punk demigoddess had insisted. And—as Annabeth was beginning to discover—whatever Thalia said was automatically law. _

_ Thalia began rifling through her worn backpack, searching for a few scraps of food. Her hands seemed to stop in their quest, and her eyes were drawn in concentration. It was a look she wore often, the young blonde had noted. A small smile that Thalia failed to hide slipped through her tough visage, but it was gone quickly. The punk turned around suddenly, beginning to walk towards where Annabeth was sitting, huddled around the impressively tall campfire. _

_ Annabeth frowned in confusion, noticing that the other girl had her hand behind her back. It was no secret that Thalia didn't show her feelings very often, if at all; naturally, Annabeth wasn't sure what to make of her expression and stance. The tall demigoddess had always sort of frightened her, in a way. While the blonde felt safe and secure standing behind the punk, she couldn't help but feel intimidated while staring into those cold, electric blue eyes. Part of her thought that Thalia may strike her, if her tense posture was anything to go by. _

_ Surprising her, as usual, Thalia pulled her hand back around to reveal that she was holding a book. Annabeth wasn't able to decipher the title of it, courtesy of her dyslexia. It was a dusky brown, and it certainly didn't look like anything special. Thalia held it out to Annabeth for a long moment before a black eyebrow was raised. _

_ "What?" Thalia had asked, her voice low and almost gravelly—she had been coughing earlier on. "Don't you know how to accept a gift, kid?"_

_ A gift. _

_ Annabeth reached out with shaky hands, unwilling to smile in fear of risking showing any emotion to this stolid girl. Her small, unsure palms touched either side of the book, and her fingers curled protectively around its spine. Thalia released it quickly, before she peered unwaveringly into Annabeth's face. It was what the daughter of Zeus had always done. She stared directly at someone, and was never unconfident about anything she did. _

_ "I thought that, since Luke and I don't give a shit about reading, you might like it," Thalia said, her mouth drawn tight. "In case you can't make out the words, it's called Aema Arete. It isn't translated at all. Once you learn more Greek, I'm sure you'll be through it within a day."_

_ "Aema Arete," Annabeth murmured. _

_She was conflicted. Never, in the fortnight she had been spending with the other two, had Thalia made her feel so wanted and so loved. While it wouldn't normally mean much, it was significant coming from the occasionally distant daughter of Zeus. _

"_Thank you...Lia."_

_Thalia inhaled, as if suddenly on-guard. Had Annabeth said something wrong? Did she not like the nickname? Oh gods, what had she done? Now the girl wasn't ever going to want anything to do with her. All of Annabeth's worries rushed from her brain when the other girl braved a bright smile, the most joyous expression she had ever seen on Thalia's face. _

"_Don't mention it, kiddo."_

Annabeth exhaled tiredly, her eyes drooping at the sight of the chapter name. _Polemos. _

She lost count of how much time she had spent staring at the beginning page of the chapter before she passed out. The next thing she was aware of was a pencil prodding the sensitive skin of the back of her neck. She grunted, lifting her head from the book. Drool covered the page, and she outwardly cringed.

Malcolm laughed from behind her, his gray eyes brighter than the sun blinding her from the open windows. "You have a quest!" he reminded, wagging his finger playfully at her. "Even if your friends sleep in, that doesn't mean you can. Go, go, go!"

Annabeth quickly changed into a pair of jeans, tank top and a flannel shirt. With untied laces, she stumbled out of her cabin. As she adjusted the strap of her travel pack on Half-Blood Hill, Clarisse angrily bumped into her.

"Hey, what's up with you?" the daughter of Athena heatedly challenged.

Clarisse scoffed. "Like you don't know."

"…I kind of don't. That's why I asked you."

"Oh, come on! You probably helped them," the daughter of Ares snapped, her face a glowing crimson. "Don't act like you don't know what I'm talking about, Ms. Priss."

Silena sighed, glancing over at Annabeth in slight sympathy. "Percy, Thalia, and Tyson went missing last night."

"Went missing my ass!" Clarisse roared. "They went to retrieve the Golden Fleece. They just can't stand to share the fucking spotlight for once, can they?"

Annabeth's mind felt numb. "What?"

Clarisse rolled her eyes. "They up and escaped camp in the middle of the night. What about that did you _not _understand?"

The blonde demigoddess looked to the daughter of Aphrodite for confirmation. Silena looked to the ground, giving a simple nod of her head. "I don't get it," Annabeth argued. "Why would they do that?"

"Clarisse thinks they want the glory," Silena commented, shrugging.

The daughter of Aphrodite had her raven-colored hair tied up in a high ponytail, and the only makeup she wore was only mascara to frame her baby blue eyes. Annabeth thought it was odd seeing her dressed in sweatpants and a long-sleeve varsity shirt, but she chose not to comment.

"Of course they do!" the daughter of Ares retorted. "Why else would they do something so incredibly stupid?"

"They aren't stupid," the daughter of Athena argued.

"I never said that," Clarisse claimed, glaring. "I said what they did was stupid. There's a difference. But, yes, they're pretty damn stupid."

"And you're one to talk?" Annabeth countered, sneering.

"Watch it, Wise Girl. I'm not your fucking friend. I'll knock your teeth down your throat."

"Girls!" Silena yelled. "Stop this, _right now._" The arguing demigoddesses were shushed immediately. "Now, apologize to one another."

Annabeth didn't want to, but she found herself relenting anyway. "Sorry, Clarisse," she muttered.

"I'm sorry, too," the buff girl nearly whispered.

Silena smiled wide, clapping her hands together. "Wonderful. Now, we should get going, yes? Clarisse, dear, carry my bag?"

"What?" the daughter of Ares screeched. "I'm not your pack mule, Silena."

"You sure? You kind of look like one."

"Shut up, Annabeth!" Clarisse screamed.

"No, you shut up!"

Silena face-palmed. "Mother, what on earth did I start?"

* * *

Thalia climbed up the ladder of the boat, turning to check and make sure Percy was following. Reaching the highest rung, she slung herself onto the boat. He followed soon after her, and they watched as Tyson laughed hysterically on his fish pony.

"Tyson, hush!" Percy whisper-yelled. "Get up here!"

"Can Rainbow come, too?" the Cyclops asked innocently.

"Rainbow?" Thalia repeated, incredulously. Boy he really wasn't like any other monster, was he? Tyson nodded eagerly at her, smiling. It was difficult for her to find him threatening. He truly was harmless. What was she so afraid of?

"We have to go," Percy answered. "Tyson, I'm sorry, but Rainbow can't really climb ladders."

The hippocampus whined pitifully, obviously growing fond of the Cyclops. Tyson buried his head in its mane, sniffling and holding back a sob. "I will miss you, Rainbow," he said sorrowfully. "I will see you again. Soon!"

"Soon," the son of Poseidon repeated, smiling to reassure his half-brother.

"Tomorrow!" Tyson perkily demanded. "Oh, please."

Tyson climbed up onto the ship, his loud feet thumping against the maintenance deck. Yellow lifeboats surrounded them, and there was a pair of double doors behind them. After tugging on them experimentally, Thalia arrived to the conclusion that they were tightly sealed.

"Locked?" Percy asked, raising his eyebrows. She nodded, crossing her arms over her chest and leaning slightly back. "We can get them open, come on."

"Ooh, let me help, brother," Tyson urged, making his way to the doors. With a grunt of effort and a few long moments, the doors began to fold away and crumple like aluminum.

"Staples," Thalia remarked.

"That was easy," Percy finished.

"Let's scout," Thalia suggested, brushing off their little commercial moment. "Tyson, buddy, try and stick behind us, okay? Percy and I will lead us through."

"Okay, Zeus girl," Tyson chirped brightly.

Zeus girl? Thalia flashed Percy a look, but he merely shrugged in her direction.

The demigods and Cyclops squeezed through the space (well, Tyson had to anyway), and began stealthily making their way through the ship. After scanning decks and areas from above and pressing their ears against every cabin door they encountered, they came to realize that the entire ship appeared to be empty.

"Ghost ship?" Thalia asked, turning to consult her male counterpart.

Percy frowned. "That's what I was thinking."

Tyson shook his head earnestly. "No," he said, appearing jittery. "Bad smell."

"Hate to break it to you, but you probably just smell Percy." The son of Poseidon nudged Thalia roughly, causing her to wince and laugh all at once. "Wow. Just kidding."

"Cyclopes are like satyrs," Percy informed, ignoring Thalia's comment. "They are able to smell when monsters are near. Isn't that right, Tyson?" He nodded anxiously in response, beginning to glance around. "What exactly do you smell?"

"Something bad," the young Cyclops answered.

"Wow, okay, so that's like seven million things off the top of my head," Thalia replied.

The three traveled to the swimming pool level. The food and drink bar was closed off, and the many tables and chairs were unoccupied. They explored other sections of the ship—the climbing wall (reminding Thalia of camp), a nifty putt-putt golf course, a revolving restaurant, and a small bowling alley. Yet, there was still no sign of anyone else on the boat.

"We need a hideout. Somewhere safe to sleep," Percy said.

Thalia tilted her head to the side, resembling a curious puppy. "Hideout? Hell, I say we take one of those cabins. There's obviously no one else on the Princess Andromeda. Why not enjoy ourselves?"

Percy flashed an amused grin. "You know for someone with such a paranoid father, you're not very afraid to take risks."

Thunder crackled above.

Thalia raised a brow. "Your point being?"

"Nothing," the son of Poseidon said, still grinning. "Let's find somewhere to sleep."

They eventually found an empty suite on the ninth floor, with two separated rooms, a bathroom, and a small kitchen area. Even though it wasn't very large, it was exquisitely decorated in themes of silver and gold. On the table in the kitchen, chocolates and other treats littered the tablecloth. A bottle of red wine that sat on the nightstand caught Thalia's attention.

"Tyson and I will take this room," Percy said, pointing to the closest, "and you can take the one with the door closed."

Thalia started to move towards the room to set her things down, but Tyson began to whine. "Brother, I want a room by myself."

The daughter of Zeus blushed. He couldn't exactly expect Percy and her to sleep in the same bed as one another. Her frantic blue eyes scanned Percy's face cautiously, instantly noting the almost excited look on his features.

Percy sighed, obviously pretending to seem set off. "Fine, Tyson…I guess."

"Yay!" Tyson cheered, wasting no time in rushing off to his designated room.

"So, uh…" the son of Poseidon began, but Thalia marched off towards the bed.

She flung her duffel bag on the comforter, quickly zipping it open. Eros and Hermes had thought of everything they could possibly need—clothes that suited them in both fashion and size, miniature bottles of shampoo and conditioner, camp rations, a plastic bag full of cash, a brown leather sack full of drachmas. Thalia smiled when she noticed that the gods had been kind enough to pack her Drakon-enchanted flight jacket.

Percy, after rifling through his own bag, locked all of the doors in the room. "Just in case," he replied to Thalia's amused look. "There's something strange about this ship."

"We can find a way off of it tomorrow," she said. "We can use one of those lifeboats. We're only staying for the night, Kelp Head."

He nodded. "I know."

"It's probably best if we try and rest now," the daughter of Zeus remarked, kicking off her shoes and burrowing beneath the soft satin sheets. She made sure to distance herself from Percy's half of the bed.

"Yeah," he said eventually, turning off the lights. Her eyes drooped, and she slowly closed them completely. She felt him settle in beside her, hesitant to scoot too close. "Yeah," he repeated. "We probably should. Goodnight, Thalia."

"Night," she mumbled, allowing sleep to overtake her.


	10. Rock Bottom

**A/N: Told you I'd make it longer. Hopefully, this lives up to the action I had promised. Some of it coordinates with the book, but it is obviously much different. Not sure if I like the way I wrote Thalia and Luke, but it's what I came up with. **

**Anyway, after reading some reviews, I noticed that I had made it seem kind of one-sided between Percy and Thalia. That wasn't my intention-I suppose I just wanted to make Thalia seem slightly more oblivious to it. I hope I managed to alleviate it somewhat in this chapter. Also, I used linebreaks to indicate a dream sequence, because I found that it worked out a little better for me than using italics. Sorry if it is confusing in any way.**

**Enjoy! Feedback is appreciated. **

**Disclaimer: I'm not Rick.**

* * *

**Rock Bottom**

Thalia stared up at the ceiling, listening to Percy's annoying snores. She wasn't sure how long she had been up, but the moon continued to shine eerily through the large porthole. A sudden movement beside her caused her to jolt upward. Percy's arms wrapped around her stomach, and he settled into her side. Crimson traveled from her cheeks to her neck as she tried to subtly remove herself.

After failing three or four times, she gave up. Her shirt was riding halfway up her chest, and his black hair tickled her abdomen. Not quite realizing what she was doing, she ran her fingers through his soft messy locks. She toyed with the strands, not willing to stop once she discovered that it calmed her.

She moved her hands and eyes lower, and surprise, surprise—he wasn't wearing a shirt. That wasn't fair. If she took her uncomfortable shirt off, she would be judged for it. Before she moved in with her cousins, all she slept in was a pair of boxers. Amy had firmly fixed that habit, though.

The tense muscles of his tan back flexed beneath her touch, almost immediately relaxing. He had a few freckles, she noticed. She smiled. He didn't have nearly as many as she did, but she strangely liked the handful that speckled his back.

He mumbled a few words in his sleep, pulling her closer to him. The smell of Old Spice filled her nostrils, and she closed her eyes. Her fingers continued to soothe through his hair, and she relaxed against the soft sheets. Percy started murmuring again, but she failed to decipher what he was saying. He was most likely having a nightmare. Her fingertips protectively curled around his shoulders.

She liked him. She liked him so much. But, something was always holding her back whenever she was around him. It was so much easier to express some sort of affection when he was slumbering. That way she wasn't vulnerable. He wasn't aware of her walls metaphorically crashing for him. Thalia sneered, shaking her head at her thoughts. She was really growing too soft.

"Thalia?" a drowsy voice sounded.

Thalia froze, removing her hands from his shoulders, turning a fiery red. Was Percy still dreaming? She blushed even further—that meant he was dreaming of her! She didn't know if she'd rather have him awake or sleeping now.

When he said her name once again, she gulped. "Yeah, Percy?"

"Can you massage my back?" he slurred against her stomach. Thalia scoffed, flinging him forcefully off of her. He laughed sleepily, accidentally knocking his head into the board behind them. "Ow," he muttered, rubbing the back of his skull.

"Oh, hush, you giant baby," she snapped. "You shouldn't have been laughing at me!"

"I wasn't laughing at you," he lied, failing to keep the smile from his face. "So, you have no reason to be angry."

"Well, I am!"

A devious smile grew on his face, and she involuntarily scooted further away from him. "Is that so?" he asked mischievously. She nodded slowly in reply, instantly suspicious. "Then, you're only angry because you're jealous."

"Jealous?" she shrieked. "Jealous of what exactly?"

Percy tapped his chin in mock-thought. "The fact that I'm laughing and you aren't."

"That's ridiculous—"

"Here, allow me to help!" he chirped brightly, throwing himself at her. His fingers ruthlessly tickled her sides, and try as she might, she wasn't able to suppress her laughter.

Thalia tried so hard to fight off the urge to thrash around the bed, but she had always been extremely ticklish. He laughed at her when she accidentally snorted, and she instantly responded by kicking him in the chest. He nearly fell of the bed, his fingers far from her body. She took the moment to catch her breath, wanting to cherish every intake of air she could get before he went back to tickling her. He never got the chance.

Tyson stumbled from his room, frowning and wiping sleep from his eyes. "Brother, you are loud."

"Sorry, Tyson," Percy apologized, but his amused eyes were on Thalia. "Go on to bed. It won't happen again. We'll keep it down."

The Cyclops nodded childishly, before dragging himself back into his room. He shut the door, and the daughter of Zeus could have sworn that the action had caused the entire ship to rock.

Percy propped his body up with his elbow, staring down at her. He gave a small smile. "How long have you been up?"

"I don't know," she answered honestly.

"Why don't you try and get some sleep? If it's your paranoia that's keeping you awake, you don't have to worry about anything. I can stay up and keep watch," he said helpfully. "I won't be able to fall asleep again."

Thalia wanted to argue, but her eyes once again grew unbearably heavy. Why was she so tired all of a sudden? She had just been fully awake. "Hmm, okay," she mumbled. "Wake me if there is any trouble at all."

"You betcha," he said, grinning from ear to ear. "Get some sleep, Lightning Dolt."

* * *

Dreams, as usual, found the daughter of Zeus. She was on a ship, one much older than the Princess Andromeda. Oars framed the entire vessel, each manned by a sweaty man in ancient armor. The captain—with the shiniest armor and the best appearance of them all—walked up to her. Thalia recognized him almost immediately as the God of the Sea.

"Lord Poseidon," she acknowledge, trying to keep the worry from her voice. The last time he had visited her in a dream, it had been immensely confusing. She knew he didn't like her at all. He would never approve of her. She was the daughter of one of his largest rivals.

Poseidon didn't smile. His facial expression was one of intended indifference. "You dare to venture across my domain, without so much as earning my favor."

His deep voice was full of unadulterated outrage. It frightened Thalia, but when she tried to open her mouth to speak, she found that she could not. He wasn't looking at her anymore. His eyes traced his great sea, his body appearing to grow even taller and mightier. Thalia wanted nothing more than to wake up. She wasn't a coward, but Poseidon was definitely a god she never wished to disturb.

"I do not seek to kill you, half-blood," he admitted through gritted teeth. "But, let it be known that you have shown great negligence and disrespect. As long as you remain at sea, the waters will work against you. Be grateful that you are assisting my son."

Thalia found her voice, although her words were shaky and deserving of mockery. "Lord." His harsh, calculating gaze prevented her from making any form of excuse. He wasn't going to forgive her, and it was easy to see that he wanted her to know that. "May I earn your favor? I'll do anything, please."

It wasn't in her blood to beg, but she had no other choice. They needed for the quest to go as smoothly as possible, and a god against her would not do anything to help them.

"Anything?" Poseidon repeated, his voice heightening in interest. "A child of my brother so eager to earn my approval?"

Thalia swallowed, noticing how dry her throat had grown. She nodded hastily, not wanting to seem as if she wasn't sincere. "Anything."

Poseidon glared out at the turbulent waves. "You will be the first to know whenever I decide what I require of you, Daughter of Zeus."

Her dream faded out until she was left standing in a stark white room. The single light above was dull, dying. It blinked slowly above her, flashing bits of inadequate illumination every three seconds. She went to move, and then realized that she was bound to the wall. Her arms were chained high above her head, held by iron cuffs and sturdy chains.

A dark chuckle resonated through the room, sending a chill down her spine. Thalia rattled the chains as she lurched away from the rough colorless wall. Snakes melted out from the wall directly across from her, and slithered toward her slowly and mockingly. It seemed they were laughing at her, as the cruel and raspy voice sounded once more.

_If it isn't the biggest pawn of the gods,_ it remarked snidely. _You will only fail them. You and the sea spawn both. Perhaps once this quest has failed, you will realize the price of slaving to the Olympians. _

"Who are you?" she croaked.

_I am the ruler of the Golden Age, _the voice remarked as the snakes neared closer. _A Golden Age that will soon arrive again, demigod._

* * *

Thalia was shaken awake by Percy, who looked like he had seen better nights. She was covered in sweat, certainly as a result of her nightmares. The son of Poseidon appeared deathly pale, and his body was shaking anxiously.

"Get up!" he commanded hurriedly. He sprang from the bed, pulling a new shirt from his duffel bag and quickly tugging it on. "There is something wrong about this ship."

"What do you mean?" she asked, bewildered. Trusting him, she instantly slid out of bed and began to change her clothes. "Turn around."

He rolled his eyes and huffed, but did as he was instructed. "Thalia, you don't understand. We don't have any time!"

"How do you know that something is wrong?"

Before he could answer her, the ship's whistle sounded and the intercom snapped on. A guy with an Australian accent excitedly announced, "Good morning, passengers! We'll be at sea all day today, so there aren't many sights so see. Sorry, folks! However, the weather is excellent for a pool party on the main deck! Don't forget the million-dollar Bingo in the Kraken Lounge, and for our _special guests_, disemboweling practice in the Promenade!"

Thalia's eyes widened, and Percy flashed a sarcastic smile. "That answer your question, Sparky?" he asked rhetorically. "Grab your stuff! I'll go get Tyson up."

The daughter of Zeus slung her duffel bag over a shoulder. Spotting the bottle of red wine on the nightstand, she stuffed it into the bag. They didn't know if they would run out of food or drink, and it was always good to be prepared. She didn't care that it was illegal.

She quickly stepped into her boots, tying the laces hurriedly as Tyson and Percy rushed from the second room. The three of them fast-walked out of the suite, and were surprised to see people walking to the main deck. They followed the crowd of people, failing to really blend in.

A crew member with a crisp white suit eyed their bags strangely, as if he could not believe that they appeared as if they wanted to leave. He tipped his hat respectively nonetheless. "Good morning," he said, with a blank expression. "We are all enjoying ourselves. Have a nice day."

"We are on a cruise," a father was telling his children near the pool. "We are having fun."

"Yes," his three kids said collectively. "This is fun. We are having fun. We will swim in the pool."

Percy shot Thalia a look of disbelief. The three continued to venture through the ship, noticing the strange behaviors and comments of every passenger. "This is weird," the son of Poseidon muttered. "I don't like this. It's almost as if they're brainwashed."

Passing a cafeteria, they stopped at the sight of a hellhound. It wasn't harming any of the humans on board. The only thing it was assaulting was the tray of scrambled eggs in the breakfast line. People peacefully ignored the monster's presence as they fetched their own food.

"Not hungry anymore," Tyson announced to them, nearly whimpering.

Thalia wrinkled her nose in disgust. "Definitely not going for the scrambled eggs."

"Sssix more joined yesssterday."

The demigods froze at the sound of the reptilian voice, instantly recognizing that it had to be some sort of monster. Thalia remembered the snakes vividly in her dreams, and she urged her two companions into the woman's restroom. Two figures slithered past the bathroom door, the movement sounding anything but human.

"Yesss," a second serpent-like voice, slightly different than the other, said. "He drawssss them. Sssooon we will be sssstrong." Hissing chillingly, they monsters entered the cafeteria.

"We have to get out of here," Thalia whispered. "We'll get into one of those lifeboats, like we planned."

Percy nodded. "I'm getting kind of embarrassed now that we've been chilling in the women's bathroom for longer than necessary."

Tyson frowned. "Smells bad," he commented. "Zeus girl is right. The food is bad. It smells bad. We must leave."

Zeus girl? Again with that?

"—only a matter of time. Don't push me Agrius!"

Thalia held her breath. That was a voice she hadn't heard in years. It was slightly different than it had once been, but she couldn't forget it if she tried.

"Luke," she whispered shakily.

Percy met her gaze, but she couldn't decipher what he was possibly thinking. His eyes were cold and unintelligible, much like Poseidon's had been in her nightmare. She forced herself to look at anything but him as talking continued on the other side of the door.

"I'm not pushing you!" an enraged, frightfully deep voice growled. "I'm just saying, if this gamble doesn't pay off—"

"It'll pay off," Luke snapped in response, and Thalia closed her eyes tightly. She had never heard him sound so hateful and bitter…except when he had been talking with his father. "They'll take the bait. Now, come, we've got to get to the admiralty suite and check on the casket."

Their voices traveled down the corridor, and the demigods involuntarily released relieved breaths of air.

Tyson whimpered, and Thalia felt slight pity for the Cyclops. He was young. It was to be expected that he would be scared easily. "Can we leave now?"

"We can't," the son of Poseidon stated firmly. "We have to find out what Luke is up to. Find out what he has up his sleeve."

"What do you think he meant by 'take the bait'? Who is he trying to trick?" the daughter of Zeus inquired. "Think the Titan Lord is setting us up again?"

Percy bit his bottom lip hard. "Gods, I really hope not."

"I'll find out what's going on," Thalia said, her tone making no room for argument. Percy didn't let her out of the restroom. "Percy. No. I'm going."

"Together," he insisted stubbornly.

Tyson bit at his grubby fingernails nervously, and the daughter of Zeus scowled at him. She strung off her bag, handing it to the Cyclops and asking if he would mind holding it. If it would get him to stop biting his nails, she wasn't opposed to asking a favor of him. She persuaded Percy to do the same, knowing that the two of them needed their hands free in case they had to fight.

Quietly, they followed the colorful arrows that led to the admiralty suite. Percy had suggested that she try and use the ring her father gave her in order to scout ahead, but she was far too wary to use it at the time. As they snuck across the deck that the suite was on, they began to hear two boys talking.

"We need to hide," Percy said, slinging open the nearest door. He and Tyson rushed into the small supply closet, and as hard as they tried to, they couldn't make enough room for Thalia to squeeze in with them. "Hurry! The door behind you!"

Thalia turned around and opened the white door, immediately entering and softly closing it behind her. She pressed her back against the door, trying to regulate her breathing. She didn't think sneaking around on a ship could be so exhilarating.

Thalia frowned as she started to gasp and wheeze. That was odd…she didn't even feel herself doing it. A moan sounded through the air, and that's when she realized that it hadn't been her. Her blue eyes widened and, despite not wanting to see such a horrible sight, she found herself looking up from the floor.

Two figures slithered beneath the heavy comforter, moaning and groaning and…

Thalia clasped a hand over her mouth to stop herself from screaming. Leave it to her to walk in on two people having sex. Out of all the suites on the floor, Percy had told her to go into this one? She couldn't see anything because the blankets covered them, but she still wanted so desperately to look away. Unfortunately, she couldn't, because she didn't want to have her back to someone who could possibly be working alongside Luke.

The daughter of Zeus ignored the loud, obscene noises emitting from the male's throat, clenching her fists tightly and looking to an abstract painting that hung on the wall. Thalia instantly found herself distracted, and she tilted her head to the side like a curious animal. It was a very nice painting. Colorful, too.

The door opened behind her, and she wasn't able to stop herself from stumbling backwards. Percy's strong arms caught her by her hips, and swiftly tugged her from the room completely. He let go of her, and the look he was giving her made her think he was seconds away from delivering bad news. Thalia closed the door, thanking every single god that the noise fell on the deaf ears of the couple.

Percy sighed. "Chris Rodriguez is working with Luke."

"Who?"

"From Cabin Eleven," the son of Poseidon added. "You don't remember him?"

Thalia shrugged. "I don't remember if I don't remember him." Tyson stared at her blankly, but Percy simply rolled his eyes. "I have even worse news," she whispered as they continued along down the corridor.

"What's that?"

"More monsters?" the young Cyclops asked innocently.

Thalia snickered. "Luke's friends are procreating in order to produce more men for their cause."

Percy gaped at her. "Thalia!" He gestured to Tyson, as if he were worried about the Cyclops finding out about sex. Tyson simply continued to follow them, not commenting at all. "What do you mean by that? And, please, speak in code."

"Oh my gods," Thalia sighed, rolling her eyes in annoyance. "Two," she blew a raspberry, "people," and again, "are," and again, "doing," and once more, "it."

"Not the kind of code I was looking for, Spongebob," Percy responded.

"Doing," Tyson copied as she had done, his huge tongue flinging spit all over his companions, "what?"

"Never mind," Thalia replied, grimacing, wiping her face. "Doing a puzzle."

They walked further ahead, neither of the demigods neglecting the feel of cold, unadulterated evil lingering in the corridor's atmosphere.

"We're getting close."

Thalia wasn't sure if she had said it, or if Percy had, but they were both thinking it. They both sensed it.

Tyson whimpered. "Monsters."

The half-bloods swiveled their heads in his direction, their eyes following his big hand as he pointed through a glass wall. Below them, they were able to see an array of vicious monsters—all of whom they had faced before, yet they had no name for some. Demonic women with two serpent tails, replacing where their legs would usually be, caught the demigoddess' attention. What had Annabeth called them again?

Dracaenae.

The three of them watched in morbid fascination as a figure in Greek armor slashed and hacked at a practice dummy with his blade. It was only when they noticed what the dummy was wearing that they pulled themselves away from the glass. A Camp Half-Blood shirt was in tatters on the stuffed straw form.

When they reached the end of the hallway, they stood within the sight of oak double-doors. When they were still a good distance away, Tyson made a noise in the back of his throat. The demigods looked to him alarmingly.

"Voices inside," the Cyclops answered their stunned expressions. Tyson's eye flickered closed. Thalia swallowed roughly, mentally preparing herself for the creepy thing he was about to do. "—the prophecy ourselves. The fools won't know which way to turn." He had sounded exactly like Luke, just as the Cyclops that had captured them while on the run.

Tyson began speaking again, this time assuming the voice of the angrier man they had heard in the cafeteria. "You really think the old horseman is gone for good?"

Thalia arched her left brow. They were talking about Chiron.

Tyson imitated Luke's laugh, which sent a chill through the daughter of Zeus. That wasn't Luke's laugh. It wasn't. "They can't trust him. Not with the skeletons in _his _closet. The poisoning of the tree was the last straw."

The son of Hermes had poisoned her pine. She knew he had. Percy tensed beside her, but chose to say nothing. Thalia didn't know if the son of Poseidon was bothered by the mention of Chiron, or of her tree. Knowing him, it was most likely both.

"Quiet!" Tyson commanded in the gruffer man's voice. Then, in Luke's voice, the Cyclops whispered, "Are you sure?" Switching back to the other man, he said, "Yes. Right outside."

"Fuck," Thalia cursed, making to run. Before any of them had time to react, though, the doors slung open.

Javelin points prodded at the demigods' chests, manned by two hairy giants. Luke's smirk dropped from his face the moment he saw his old friend, his crystal blue eyes taking in the very sight of her.

"Thalia," the son of Hermes said, as if he had been stunned. "You're here."

The daughter of Zeus didn't like the way he looked. He didn't dress as he had before, and his hair was different. He used to have shaggy blonde hair, and she used to make fun of him every time he girlishly flipped his bangs from his forehead.

Now, however, his hair was clipped short in an almost militaristic style. His clothes—consisting of a white dress shirt and kakis—made him resemble some kind of stereotypical Ivy League college boy. A frightful scar ran underneath his eye, and it made Thalia wonder just what had happened to him. He hadn't had that while they were on the run.

"Leave her alone, Luke," Percy growled, managing to look intimidating even though a javelin tip was pressed to his chest.

Luke turned away from her with reluctance, sneering at the sight of the son of Poseidon. "If it isn't my favorite cousin. Come on in."

The stateroom was more elegant that their suite had been, but a certain feature ruined the image completely. At the back of the room, on a velvet dais, there was a ten-foot-long golden casket, engraved with tragic Ancient Greek scenes. The evil they had felt in the air before seemed to originate in the sarcophagus.

"Little better than our shelters," Luke remarked, spreading his arms wide in mock-welcome. "Wouldn't you say so, Thalia?" It took her a few seconds to realize that he had been directing the question to her. He grumbled, "Sit."

With a wave of his hand, three dining chairs slid across the floor and into the center of the room. To put it lightly, Thalia didn't do well with directions. She remained standing, knowing that it would only further frustrate Luke. He had always hated for his orders to go ignored.

The javelins were still pressed to their chests, and Luke's hairy bear friends were growling at the demigods, revealing their sharp, canine teeth. Claws folded around the shafts of the javelins, and they both had identical snout-like noses. The monsters were nearly two feet taller than Thalia was, so she found herself eye-to-fur with their carpeted pectorals.

"Where have my manners gone?" Luke questioned smoothly and rhetorically. It took all of her will to prevent the escape of the many sarcastic comments that were bubbling in her brain. "These are my assistants, Agrius and Oreius. Perhaps you've heard of them."

None of them said anything.

"You don't know Agrius and Oreius's story?" Luke asked. "Their mother ... well, it's sad, really. Aphrodite ordered the young woman to fall in love. She refused and ran to Artemis for help. Artemis let her become one of her maiden huntresses, but Aphrodite got her revenge. She bewitched the young woman into falling in love with a bear," he continued, flashing a cruel smirk.

"When Artemis found out, she abandoned the girl in disgust. Typical of the gods, wouldn't you say? They fight with one another and the poor humans get caught in the middle. The girl's twin sons here have no love for Olympus. They like half-bloods well enough, though…"

"For lunch," Agrius agreed, eyeing Thalia and Percy menacingly.

If he liked to eat demigods, why the hell hadn't he devoured Luke? _Because he's supposed to be on their side, stupid. _

Oreius giggled embarrassingly, licking his fur-framed lips. He laughed himself into a near respiratory fit.

"Shut up, idiot!" Agrius yelled at his brother. "Go punish yourself!"

Oreius whimpered, but dragged himself over to the corner of the room. After slumping down onto a stool, he began to violently throw his face against the table. Thalia scowled. That was no way to treat a sibling…even if they were monstrous and slow—

Her eyes flickered to Tyson. How could she manage to be so critical of Agrius, whenever she had done her best to avoid associating with the young Cyclops? In the end, she was really no better. Tyson had shown them nothing but compliance and friendship. He had helped the demigods without protest, and assisted them whenever possible.

Luke sat down on the sofa. "Well, Percy, we let you survive another year. I hope you appreciated it. How's your mom? How's school?"

Thalia knew what he was playing at. He didn't want to talk to her in fear of showing his vulnerability and surprise, and he sought to get beneath Percy's skin. Well, she wasn't about to sit back and let that happen.

"You poisoned my tree," she stated coldly, meeting his eyes bravely. It had always been a talent of hers—staring at people directly and unwaveringly. Luke had hated it.

"So what?" the son of Hermes challenged, narrowing his eyes. "You weren't in it."

"How could you?" Thalia asked quietly, venomously. "After everything, how could you do something so goddamn stupid, Luke?"

"The gods dishonored you, Thalia!" he argued. "You were making a sacrifice for us, for Annabeth. And what happened to you? Zeus somehow hid you from everyone else, and didn't even let you see Annabeth and me. Your real family! You're supposed to be on my side!"

"Real family?" she repeated angrily. "That's golden coming from you, princess! I asked you one thing before I sacrificed myself. Do you remember that?" He clenched his jaw. "I told you to fucking take care of Annabeth, and you turn away from everyone who has ever meant anything to you."

"If you knew what was coming, you would understand."

"What I understand," she snarled, "is that you aren't the same. You aren't the Luke I had grown to trust. You aren't my best friend."

Luke shook his head vigorously. "No, you're wrong, Thalia," he snapped. "I am me, finally." He scoffed. "The gods have blinded you, just as they have every _loyal_ slave at that stupid camp. Imagine a world without them. You are hanging onto three thousand years of bullshit! The West is rotten to the core. It is our duty to abolish this age, and begin the world anew. You could help us, Thalia. We could use your courage and strength—"

"Because you don't have any?" she proposed, arching a black eyebrow. "You are all cowards. Hiding behind a fucking sarcophagus."

"I know you better than anyone," Luke challenged.

This truly wasn't her Luke. He was far from it now. She wasn't sure what had changed him—on second thought, his hatred had always been festering below the surface. He just hadn't realized his desire to defeat the gods—his father in particular—at the time. Her time away had given him the opportunity to allow the thoughts to dominate his mind.

Thalia shook her head. "No," she denied. "No, you really don't, Luke. Face it. You've changed. I've changed. I don't know who you are anymore."

The blonde demigod was angered even more by her last statement. His cheeks burned a fiery crimson. "You know what baffles me? The fact that you're traveling with the very thing that cost you a safe passage to camp. A Cyclops."

"Hey!" Percy cried indignantly, but it fell on deaf ears.

"I trust him more than I trust you right now," Thalia snapped. "Look at you, Luke. You're just as much as a monster as your two hairy friends."

Luke fumed. "And you're in better company? You're with the son of Poseidon and his monstrous brother! What has happened to _you_, Thalia?"

"I didn't turn my back on anyone," the daughter of Zeus replied.

"Anyone except me."

"Leave her alone," Percy commanded. "No one wants to throw you a pity-party, Luke."

Luke smirked. "You're quite the little hero now, aren't you? Heard all about your little plan to retrieve the Fleece. What were those coordinates again? Ah, yes. 30, 31, 75, 12. As you can see, I still have friends at your useless camp that keep me informed."

"Spies," Thalia commented dryly. There were fucking spies at Camp Half-Blood.

Luke ignored her, continuing to prod at Percy. "How many insults from your father can you stand, Percy? You think he's grateful to you? You think Poseidon cares for you any more than he cares for this monster?"

Percy scowled. "Our fathers care for us."

The son of Hermes scoffed. "The gods are using you both. Hell, the only reason Zeus saved Thalia was so that he could control the prophecy and get all the fucking glory. Poseidon, naturally, hopes the prophecy is about you. Do you have any idea what is in store for you if you reach your eighteenth birthday? Has Chiron even told you?"

The daughter of Zeus was taken aback by his comments. As much as she wanted to scream and protest and insult him, something he had said caught her incredibly off guard. She hadn't heard the prophecy word-for-word. But, she knew the basic gist of it. A child of the Big Three that reached the age of eighteen would decide the fate of Olympus. Chiron hadn't revealed anything about the prophecy to Percy or her.

"I know enough," Percy retorted. "I know who my enemies are."

"Then you're a fool."

Tyson's mighty hands lifted the nearest dining chair and slammed it against the floor, causing it to break into splinters. "Percy is not a fool!"

Before Thalia or Percy could stop him, he charged for Luke. The two bear twins caught him by his arms, and pushed him hard enough to make him stumble to the floor. The deck rattled. Luke began to say something surely wounding and sarcastic, but Thalia wasn't nearly ready enough to let him have that satisfaction.

"Daddy isn't too proud of you, Castellan," she taunted, her cheeks still flushed in her anger. "He sent us here."

"Don't. Even. Mention. Him," Luke threatened, breathing heavily through his clenched teeth. His crystal eyes boiled with rage as he glared at her.

Thalia outwardly smirked. As always, she had found his weakness. And, as always, she planned to expose it and use it against him. "He wanted us on this ship. Wanted us to find you, tell you that he's sorry, and talk some sense into you. He won't give up on you, no matter how angry you are." She sneered in his face. "You'll always be his little hero."

Luke growled. "He abandoned me! You've seen it for yourself. I thought you bore my pain, Thalia. You were the only one that ever understood! Look at you now, sucking up to your father." She felt a sudden pain in her chest. "I won't stop until I see Olympus destroyed. Every throne crushed to rubble! You tell Hermes that it's going to fucking happen. Each time another pawn of the gods join our cause, the Olympians can only grow even weaker. We are strong, Thalia." He pointed to the golden sarcophagus. "_He _is strong."

Thalia's eyes drifted to the sarcophagus in shock. She had already suspected that it represented the Titan Lord, but he was speaking as if it held him…or at least, a vital part of his being. She failed to wipe the surprise from her face, and Luke smirked smugly.

"How?" the son of Poseidon asked.

"He is reforming little by little," the son of Hermes replied. "Little by little, we're calling his life force out of the pit. With every recruit who pledges to our cause, another small piece appears—"

"You're fucking sick, Luke," Thalia snapped. "If Kronos truly stood a chance, he wouldn't have been defeated in the first place."

"You're wrong," Luke said, sneering. "As you've always been. Soon there will be enough of our Lord that we can make him whole again. We'll piece together a new body for him."

Thalia tightened her fists, looking to her male companion. Percy shook in anger, failing to hide his obvious emotions from the enemy.

"Join us, and you will be rewarded," the son of Hermes bribed once more. "Percy, you'll never have to worry about your mother again. You'll have everything you've ever wanted. Fame, fortune…you'll be a legend." Luke turned to Thalia. "More power than you can even begin to fathom. We'll give you your own kingdom, Thals. A whole land under your own control. You can lead our armies. You'll have so much under your power that you can decide what to do with."

Thalia leaned in closer. "Fuck you," she spat hatefully.

Whether she wanted to admit to it or not, his words got to her, just as he knew they would. She had always struggled with saying no to power. It was her fatal flaw, something she had inherited from her father. Thalia desired power more than just about anything else in the world. But she wouldn't get it that way, not from him. She absolutely refused to.

Luke frowned, but quickly disguised his disappointment with a mocking sigh. "A shame." He turned to Oreius. "Take them to the Engine Room and tie them up. We'll decide what we will do with them later. I'm sure the Aethiopian dragon must be starved."

Oreius giggled and clapped his hands together. "Hehe! Hehe!"

Agrius grumbled, "Let me go, too. My brother is worthless. That Cyclops—"

"Is no threat," Luke finished. "Agrius, you stay here. We have important matters to discuss."

Oreius used his javelin to force Thalia, Percy, and Tyson out of the stateroom. Two security guards were waiting in the corridor, and assisted the bear twin in prodding them along. After exiting the corridor, they walked out onto an open deck lined with lifeboats.

Percy, turning to face his half-brother, commanded, "Now."

Tyson understood before Thalia, turning and punching Oreius. The hairy giant flew several feet backwards, landing in the middle of the swimming pool. The robotic family from before displayed their first emotion—one of annoyance.

The kids yelled in unison. "We are _not _having fun in the pool."

One of the guards drew his nightstick, aiming for Percy's head. Thalia grabbed it mid-strike, twisting it out of his grip. When he reached out for it, Thalia swung it back and launched it into his face. He was unconscious before he hit the floor.

The other guard ran and activated an alarm, just as the son of Poseidon pulled him back by his shirt. Thalia sent a spinning kick to the back of his head, and he toppled onto the body of his passed out friend. Red lights flashed and a loud, obnoxious siren wailed.

"Lifeboat!" Percy yelled, running for the closest one.

They peeled the cover off, giving monsters and security guards the time they needed to occupy the deck. The demigod in Greek armor that they had seen earlier charged towards them, drawing his sword. Before he could reach them, a drink dropped and spilled to the floor. His boots slipped on the piña colada, and he fell to the deck.

Monstrous archers piled onto the deck above them, and notched their arrows. Thalia drew Thunderbird and activated it, using it to slash apart a hellhound that had lunged for them. Percy sliced the first volley of arrows with Riptide.

"Get in the lifeboat!" Percy yelled as he fought away more creatures.

Tyson climbed inside, obedient to his older brother. Thalia shrugged Percy's hold off her shoulder and ushered him into the boat. She jumped in last, slicing an armored demigod across the face with her blade.

"Cut the release pulley!"

Thalia followed Percy's instruction, instantly ripping the ropes. The boat fell toward the ocean, and an arrow found its way into the demigoddess' shoulder. She winced, falling to the bottom of the lifeboat.

"Thermos!"

Tyson dug the thermos from Percy's duffel bag, handing it over. Thalia sat up in the lifeboat, although it certainly hurt to do so. Her short locks sprung in the air as they hurtled toward the water. Percy grabbed the thermos tightly, and made to open it.

"Hold on, guys," he ordered. "As tight as you can!"

Thalia did all she could, and she flinched whenever Tyson's hand clasped the back of her shirt. He did the same for Percy, but the son of Poseidon didn't even blink. Percy gave the lid of the thermos a small turn.

Wind shot from the thermos, propelling the lifeboat sideways. They quickly hit the ocean surface, and skipped across it as if they were pebbles. The salty water felt like acid when it splashed against Thalia's face. She sputtered, glaring at Percy whenever he held back a laugh. When they settled out, the boat shot smoothly along the waves. The sea was the only thing in sight around them, the Princess Andromeda a mere speck on the horizon.

Thalia released the breath she had been hoarding. She was never, _ever _doing that again.


	11. Attack of the Monster Donut Kid

**A/N: I apologize for the wait, but I have been working on some different stories recently. Hope you all enjoy this chapter, even though there is little action.**

**Thank you for all of your reviews and your continued support.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the series, nor have I ever. I wish I did, yada yada yada.**

* * *

**Attack of the Monster Donut Kid**

Thalia huffed, tossing a branch over the lifeboat. She swiftly wiped her heated forehead. She had seemingly forgotten how hot parts of Virginia could be, especially in the mouth of the river. Percy passed her another branch, and she set it along the boat, attempting to hide it from sight.

After departing from Luke's ship and thermos-traveling nearly five hundred and thirty nautical miles—according to Percy, seeing as Thalia's mental GPS abilities had failed to work at sea—the daughter of Zeus had directed them further into Chesapeake Bay. She planned to lead them to a shelter that she and Luke had built years ago.

"That should be enough," Percy said, running a hand through his messy hair. "Don't you think so?"

Instead of answering, Thalia worked her way along the shore. Her boots felt even heavier against the red mud, sinking her in to the soles. She felt her two companions following behind her as she continued into the grass. Percy froze as a snake slithered past his shoe, but he didn't scream. Tyson pouted as he irately swatted at the mosquitoes that were feasting from his arm.

"Not a good place," the young Cyclops muttered.

Thalia would have to agree with him, but this hideout was all that they had available to them right now. Her eyes caught sight of a familiar patch of brambles and she smiled slightly, wistfully. "We're here," she announced quietly.

Percy opened his mouth to speak, but she didn't give him the opportunity. She marched up to the cluster of branches, and she moved aside their make-shift circular door. The son of Poseidon closed his mouth instantly, possibly coming to a realization.

"Whoa," he said. "The walls are made out of plant stuff. It reminds me of a Native American hut." Thalia rolled her eyes as she entered the shelter. Upon entering, Percy seemed to have changed his opinion. "There's nothing old about this. There are sleeping bags, an ice chest, a kerosene lamp, and ambrosia and nectar."

"Kelp Head, I would really appreciate it if you would stop naming off everything you see."

"There are even spare weapons here…" he continued, almost in awe. "Oh my gods, Thalia…you made this place?"

She shrugged. "Luke and I mostly. Annabeth was too young to physically help out a lot, but you bet your ass she instructed us on _how _to make the damn thing."

Percy gave a strange laugh, some unintelligible feeling tainting his voice. She shot him a curious look, but he quickly looked to Tyson. "Tyson, buddy, come on in. There is plenty of room for you."

The young Cyclops smiled gleefully, stepping into the hut and glancing around in childlike wonderment. His brown eye spotted something red on the floor, and he bent over to pick it up. He fumbled with the little toy car in his hands. Thalia turned a flaming red, angrily reaching out and snatching it from him. His big eye blinked several times before tears began to spill.

The daughter of Zeus shoved the Hot Wheels toy into her back pocket. "Leave my things alone," she gritted between her teeth, willing herself not to think of the car's origin. Percy flashed a hurt look, but she ignored it.

He stepped next to her, using her shoulder to make her look into his face. "Look what you've done, Thalia. You made Tyson cry."

She fought off the guilt that wanted to overcome her and shrugged her shoulders. Everything would be all right. The hut was waterproof.

The son of Poseidon huffed angrily and shook his head. "You're heartless." Thalia clenched her fists. "Tyson, come on. You're going to scout the area."

"But…" the Cyclops began to argue, tears still pouring from his eye.

Percy shook his head. "Go look for a convenience store or something."

"Convenience store?"

"Yeah, to get some snacks. Everything in here is probably too old and musty to eat now. Try and find some powdered donuts or something."

"Yes," Tyson said, wiping his face and nodding eagerly. "I will find some powdered donuts in the wilderness." Before Percy could lead the way outside, the Cyclops rushed out, calling for donuts.

The son of Poseidon spun around on his female companion. "So?"

Thalia sat down on a sleeping bag, not bothering to meet his gaze. "So?"

Percy sighed, sitting down across from her. "What's the problem? Why did you take the toy from Tyson?"

Thalia smirked. He sounded like a parent. She quickly wiped the look from her face whenever he glared at her. She dug around in her back pocket and pulled out the little car. Her eyes saddened as she looked over it. "I'm not sure that's any of your business."

"Thalia."

"Percy," she stressed in response.

"You saw how upset it made Tyson. Why did you take it from him like that? You could have simply asked for it back. Why in Hades does it mean so damn much to you?"

His words drowned out in the back of her head. She twirled the car over, and her eyes spotted the silvery _J _scribbled on the bottom. She made a choked sound in the back of her throat before she hurriedly shoved it back into her pocket.

He hadn't been blind to her distress. Percy's eyebrows furrowed in slight concern, all previous anger wiped from his face. He leaned forward, setting a hand gently on her thigh. "Thalia…what's so special about the toy?"

The daughter of Zeus shook her head, blinking slowly. Thankfully, he let the conversation drop immediately. She started feeling like she always did whenever she thought of her past—like the walls of the small shelter were closing in on her. She needed to change the subject. Percy spoke before she could ask him what his favorite breed of dog was.

"I don't want to think it, but…"

"What?" she asked, meeting his eyes.

"Luke let us go too easily. Don't you think?"

Thalia recalled their escape. Even though many alarms had been sounded, and several had tried to prevent them from leaving, it had been too simple to get away. Luke had wanted them alive. He wanted something from them. It was plausible that he wanted them to _do _something.

"He mentioned bait," the daughter of Zeus muttered thoughtfully. "He wanted someone to 'take the bait.' Do you think he could have been talking about us?"

"He let us escape because he needed us to take some kind of bait?" Percy repeated, nodding his head. "Yeah, I would say that would be our most likely bet. Sounds like something he would do."

"Not really."

Percy flared his nose in irritation, but brushed her comment off. She couldn't help it. She had said it without realizing what she was doing. She wasn't even sure that she meant what she said. "So, what would be the bait, then?" the son of Poseidon questioned.

"The Fleece, I suppose," Thalia grumbled, rubbing the back of her neck.

"What about Grover?"

She shook her head. "No," she answered surely. "Luke wouldn't use Grover as bait. He couldn't have set his capture up. Grover wasn't led there by Luke and his army. He was led there by the magic of the Fleece, right? So, that can't be a possibility."

"I wouldn't put it past them, Thalia," Percy replied. "They aren't exactly of-the-good."

"I just think it sounds too elaborate for them is all."

He nodded. "Hey, there's kind of something that I want to ask you about." Thalia arched an eyebrow, but gestured for him to continue. "Luke said…he said that you were supposed to be on his side. What did he mean?"

She shrugged. "I…I don't know. I guess he just expected me to stick with him through this whole thing."

"What thing?"

"You know, going against Olympus and everything."

"Why would he think that?"

Thalia sighed heavily. "Look, I don't know, all right? I can't read his mind."

Percy fumbled with his hands, unsure as to what to do with them. "You didn't promise him anything did you?" She grew an expression of confusion, and he reluctantly clarified, "When you were on the run…did you two plot against Olympus?"

The daughter of Zeus felt herself becoming offended. Why the hell would he think that? Sure, she sometimes got upset with her father, but she couldn't ever see herself trying to destroy him.

"Percy…" she trailed off, trying to keep the venom from her voice. "How could you say that?"

His cheeks flushed and his sea-green eyes widened in remorse. "I—I didn't mean it like that, Thalia. I trust you, I swear I do. I don't think you'll turn against the gods or anything. I just…well, if you guys had something going on—"

"Something going on?" she echoed. He shrugged in response, looking to one of the walls of the hut. She ran her tongue slowly across her upper row of teeth, considering her words. "Annabeth tells me that you and me…we're a lot alike."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah, she thinks we have tons of things in common." Thalia smirked. "I mean, I don't see it, but hey. In that case, if Luke asked you to turn against your father, against Olympus, would you do it?"

"No," he said without hesitation.

She leaned forward, merely a breath away from him. "Then what makes you think I would?"

"I don't," he replied, visibly gulping. His eyes flickered down to her lips before they traveled back up. "He kept saying that you weren't the same. That you shouldn't be with a Cyclops. What was he talking about?"

Before she could answer, the circular door of the hut was thrown open. Tyson crawled through, proudly presenting a box full of powdered donuts. "I got the donuts, brother!"

"Well," Thalia remarked, leaning back and distancing herself from the son of Poseidon, "he got it faster than I expected he would."

Percy's expression became one of surprise. "Tyson…where did you get those? There cannot be any stores for miles."

"Fifty feet," the Cyclops said, smiling enthusiastically. "Monster Donut Shop—just over the hill."

"We should go check it out," Thalia suggested. She looked to Percy. "Does it sound suspicious to you, too?"

"Not really," he said, shaking his head. "We have them all over New York, Pinecone Face." She glared at him, but didn't say anything. "It's not like they have actual monsters in there."

"No, you don't get it," she argued. "Before, there was nothing within about two or three miles of here. This is in the middle of the freaking wilderness. Why would there be a donut shop—conveniently when you sent Tyson in search of donuts—only fifty feet away? It wasn't here before."

"It's been years since you have been here," the son of Poseidon reasoned. "Some things are bound to change." He looked to the Cyclops. "Tyson, weren't there any other stores around it? Has it been turned into a shopping center?"

Tyson thought for a moment before shaking his head innocently. "No."

Percy frowned. "No? There was only the donut shop there?"

Tyson nodded, and Thalia resisted the urge to do a dance of victory. "So, are we going to check it out or what?" she asked.

"I guess we'd better. Tyson, lead the way, buddy."

After exiting the shelter, they trudged their way further into the woods. By the time they arrived within sight of the store, between Tyson and Thalia, there were no donuts left. The daughter of Zeus licked the powder from the tips of her fingers as she narrowed her eyes at the shop.

Suspiciously, there was a little bit of a road leading into the forest, and a completely vacant parking lot. The establishment appeared to be brand new. A man, his face blurred and unintelligible, was spotted working behind the counter.

"It's just as I thought," the demigoddess muttered. "This isn't right at all, Percy. Can you see that now?"

"Well, if it isn't a completely harmless donut shop, what is it?"

Thalia grimaced, turning to glance at the shop again. She felt as if she should know the answer to his question. It seemed to be on the tip of her tongue, but she just wasn't sure. Annabeth had most likely told her about it in the past…chances were, she hadn't been paying much attention.

She was really second-guessing eating so many of the donuts.

"Maybe it's a…a nest?" she suggested, unsure. A nest of monsters. That made sense, right? Gods, she was kidding no one. They were helpless without Annabeth there to explain everything to them. All she had was experience with fighting both monsters and humans alike, and she had never cared to learn much else.

Tyson whimpered, and the daughter of Zeus predicted that she must have scared him a little. She sent him a sympathetic look, lightly patting him on the shoulder. She surprised herself when she did it, and she hurried to retract her hand.

Percy furrowed his eyebrows. "A nest for what?"

Thalia scoffed. "Kittens, Jackson. It's a nest for kittens."

"Sarcasm hurts."

"Whatever—" she froze, hearing a faint scraping sound. "Did you hear that?"

"Hear what?" he asked. Tyson was whimpering even louder than before, his large hands clutching at the empty pastry box.

"Tyson, shh," Thalia hushed the frightened Cyclops. "Slowly, guys, we're going to turn around."

Percy released a small breath of air, nodding once. "Slowly," he agreed.

All together, they turned their bodies. A large creature hissed at nothing in particular, its seven scaly heads writhing in several different directions. Each of its seven necks had a child's bib donning it, and it read: I'm a MONSTER DONUT KID! Thalia wasn't sure how a toddler's bib could fit the neck of something the size of a freaking rhino, but she wasn't going to question it.

"The Hydra," Percy whispered, pulling out his ballpoint pen. Thalia swatted at his arm, silently warning him not to activate it yet. It was possible that the monster hadn't spotted them. All monsters sensed the presence of celestial bronze.

The creature sniffed and some of its heads flapped through the leaves. It was hunting for them, Thalia had no doubts. A couple of the Hydra's heads were tearing into one of their duffel bags—Tyson's in particular. The monster had already invaded their shelter, and now it had their scent. Its rattlesnake-like heads snapped at twigs on the ground as it neared closer.

The Cyclops, seemingly recognizing the bag as his own, whimpered and incidentally stepped on a fallen branch. It cracked beneath the weight of his foot, and the six heads of the merciless Hydra shifted towards them. The monster hissed, and Thalia barely had enough time to jump out of its way as it charged them.

Percy rolled in the opposite way that she had, as she had jumped to the left. Acid shot from the Hydra's mouths, instantly sizzling on the tree behind the son of Poseidon. He hurried away from the plant, seeing it begin to deteriorate. Tyson was immobile in front of the terrifying monster. It spat acid toward the Cyclops, but Percy was too far away to prevent it. Unthinkingly, the daughter of Zeus tugged Tyson out of the way, accidentally throwing him to the ground behind her.

"Tyson!" she instructed. "Stay safe and out of the way." It was strange trying to protect a Cyclops, but she was willing to do it.

She and Percy drew their swords. The Hydra's heads snapped between the two weapons, undecided on which would be the bigger threat. Four of its heads would look to Thalia, and two would look to Percy, and then it would switch around.

"Thalia, sheath your sword. Let me distract it!"

She didn't bother responding to his command. Her pride was already swollen to the brim, and it wasn't backing down now to obey any orders. It was how she always got when she fought. "Do you remember how to kill these things?"

It continued to hiss at the two of them in confusion, and it began to remind Thalia of a hairless cat.

"That would be a no," Percy admitted, raising his sword slightly higher. "You cut off half of its heads, and I cut off what's left?"

The daughter of Zeus shrugged carelessly, although she suddenly developed an ache in her gut that protested. "Sure, sounds just as good as any other plan."

Swiftly, she lobbed off three heads, barely paying any attention as Percy sliced away at the remaining three. They looked away from the wobbling creature to high-five one another, but a whimper from Tyson provoked them to glance back.

The six stumps that had once been the heads of the hydra began to swell. They inflated like balloons, growing mightily before splitting into two. All twelve heads of the Hydra spat acid, and the children of the Big Three struggled to dodge in time. Thalia hit the forest floor unceremoniously, releasing a groan of displeasure.

"All right," Percy said, panting, rolling out of the way once more. "I'm thinking that wasn't the best plan we've ever had."

"How the hell are we supposed to kill this thing?" Thalia remarked, springing back to her feet. Two of the heads snapped towards her, and she barely managed to deflect the frightening teeth with her blade. The heads sprung back, shaking violently, before lunging again. She continued to fend them off, all the while dodging acid baths.

"Why are you asking me?" the son of Poseidon replied, nearly cutting off another head. "Shit," he cursed under his breath, backing away from the creature. "Your brother is the one who destroyed it. You should know."

"My brother?" Thalia asked numbly. She forced thoughts of her baby brother away.

"Hercules," Percy clarified, shooting her a strange look. He quickly turned his attention to the monster, deflecting four ferocious heads just in time. "He…he killed them somehow. Annabeth said something about it."

"We could really use that girl right about now," the daughter of Zeus grumbled, ducking beneath a ray of acid. If it had touched her hair, she was going to be livid. "Think, Jackson. I don't know half the shit Hercules has done. You're our chance right now."

"It isn't like I can concentrate!" Percy growled as he kicked a head away with the bottom of his shoe. It barely had an effect on the monster, but it served as a proper distraction.

Thalia roughly nudged him away, causing him to fall back by Tyson. He panted in exhaustion, looking up at her incredulously. "Well? Get to thinking, brain boy," she grunted out as she began to lead the Hydra toward the river.

Percy was about to argue, but then his mouth snapped closed. His eyes shut tightly, and he was obviously racking his brain for the solution. Thalia had to admit that it was hard working without Annabeth. She was so used to having the brain by her side, to spit out random facts about statues or whatever. She almost felt hopeless without the daughter of Athena there to assist the three of them.

"Fire!" Percy yelled suddenly. "It is killed with fire. Hercules cut off the heads, and then burned the stumps before the heads could regrow."

Fire? She gritted her teeth in frustration. Thalia could usually spark a fire or two, but it would be difficult with the foggy weather and the river so close by. The daughter of Zeus briefly looked to her male companion, but it proved to be a deadly distraction. Half of the heads swung towards her, knocking her to the ground. She ached and pained, but tried to force herself to crawl to her feet.

Before she could, Tyson barreled toward the Hydra. "Do not hurt my friends!" he bellowed, punching out the heads one after another.

Thalia allowed her jaw to drop in surprise, before quickly regaining her composure. Percy hurried over, offering her a hand. When she refused to take it, he gripped her elbow and used it to haul her to her feet. She glared at him, but soon gave up on it when he flashed her that irritating smile.

Tyson fell backwards as he dodged the creature's venomous spit, and Thalia stepped in front of him to distract the Hydra, attempting to give him the time he needed to recover. She, Percy and Tyson did their best to fend off the monster, but their defenses were becoming increasingly weak and sluggish. Thalia knew that if they didn't get some fire now, she could pretty much drop all hopes of getting a cheeseburger whenever they wandered into a town.

Then she heard it—the distinct, boisterous sounds of machinery. It shook the riverbank, and she felt the tremble through her boots. The vibrations traveled through her body like the clattering of drums, and she nearly lost her footing.

"What the shit is that noise about?" she yelled angrily, twirling the wrist of her sword hand sorely.

"Steam engine," Tyson supplied helpfully, not taking his large fists away from one of the Hydra's disturbed faces.

"I'm sorry," Percy said loudly. "What?"

"There! Prepare the thirty-two pounder!" a female voice screamed from behind them, sending a shiver up Thalia's spine. She recognized that voice.

"Thirty-two pounder? Sounds like a burger. I'd like a thirty-two pounder with cheese," the daughter of Zeus mused quietly, shrugging whenever Percy glanced at her in disbelief. "What? It kind of does."

"That's a huge cheeseburger, then."

A man's voice shouted out next, surprising the three. "They're too close, milady!"

"Damn the heroes!" the female shouted once more. Thalia nearly snorted at the harsh remark. "Full steam ahead!"

"Aye, lady," the male's voice relented.

"Fire at will!" the girl ordered.

The daughter of Zeus flung herself to the ground, dragging Percy down with her. She covered her skull with her hands, bracing herself in the muck. Milliseconds later, a loud, deafening sound rattled the riverbank, light blinded them briefly, and a ball encased in smoke shot straight for the Hydra. Its guts splattered all over the fallen demigods, while Tyson stood just out of range from the blast. Thankfully, the gunk dissipated with the rest of the creature.

Thalia climbed to her feet, a smirk on her face. She nearly coughed from the gunpowder smoke revolving around them. "That was pretty sweet." Percy nodded his agreement. She frowned in disgust at the muck on her clothes. "Tyson, will you do me a favor?"

The young Cyclops nodded with a wide, silly smile. "Anything, Zeus girl."

She resisted the urge to groan. "Grab our bags from the shelter, and make sure to stock them with some of the useful supplies left in there."

He nodded, hurriedly walking to the shelter. The son of Poseidon spun around, making a sound of disappointment. "Thalia, you might want to see this."

"I might not," she muttered in disagreement, having already recognized the owner of the commanding voice. She turned around nonetheless, not at all surprised at what she saw.

A sizable old steamship was chugging along heavily on the river, the iron deck catching her attention immediately. It was labeled the _CSS Birmingham_, and a flag in dedication to Ares flew proudly from above. It was loaded with cannons, indicating the age of the vessel. Shimmering figures in grayish uniforms littered the deck, and Thalia was reminded of the souls in the Asphodel Fields.

"Civil War battle cruiser," the son of Poseidon remarked thoughtfully. "It's too bad about who's on it," he added dryly, pointing to the tall, armor-clad figure standing next to the smoking cannon.

Thalia rubbed the back of her neck sorely, narrowing her eyes at the sneering daughter of Ares. "Fucking hell, Clarisse," she shouted loud enough for the girl to hear. "You could have blasted us to pieces!"

"Hop aboard, sissies," Clarisse grumbled, eyeing them distastefully. "I haven't got all freaking day."

* * *

Athena marched into Hera's gardens, scowling at the sight of her stepmother. The Queen of the Gods arched an eyebrow in interest at the frustrated goddess. What could she possibly want from her? And, why was she so angered?

The goddess of wisdom sighed heavily, crossing her arms over her chest. "All right," she stated apathetically. "Color me interested. What do you plan to do with the daughter of Zeus?"

Hera narrowed her eyes, but turned her attention to the flowers that needed tending to. "I am not sure I understand what you are implying, Athena."

"You marked her with the brand of—" the goddess of wisdom was immediately silenced with the glare that was shot her way. "You broke Ancient Law."

"And my husband hasn't?" Hera retorted hotly, resisting the urge to bring up how Athena branded her own son—Daedalus. "He's broken every single one in existence for that despicable bastard of his."

Athena rolled her eyes, paying no mind whenever the older goddess seethed at the disrespectful display. "What god hasn't, really? Father is just less talented in keeping things secretive. Admittedly, I have provided assistance for many of my offspring."

Hera growled. "Do all of you neglect consequences? If you ask me, there is nothing more insanely selfish."

"I do not recall asking for your opinion on anything," Athena replied heatedly. "I only inquired of your intentions, to which I have still not been provided an acceptable answer."

"Zeus sent you," the Queen of the Gods accused, narrowing her eyes. "Did he not?"

"He did not."

"You lie, Athena. It is written across your brow."

The glint in the younger goddess' eyes alerted Hera immediately. Athena, naturally, felt her intelligence challenged. She never did favor it when someone managed to look past her disguises. The goddess of wisdom was surely about to attempt to get beneath Hera's skin—something she did well. Athena largely manipulated many, and it was no secret that she enjoyed psychoanalyzing others, and her fellow immortals were definitely no exception. Athena was damn good at it, too.

"Why would you risk such…_consequences_ in order to save someone you loathe?" the goddess of war strategy asked, arching that cocky charcoal eyebrow of hers. Her almost frightening, icy gray eyes danced mischievously as she met her stepmother's gaze bravely. "You know, because of you, I have met the daughter of Zeus. Do you recall whenever you forced me to go to her last year, and order her to turn against the son of Poseidon? Father still does not know of your previous schemes. He does not know that you have always known of her existence."

"What harm could be brought to me, if you were to confide in him now?" Hera countered, attempting to seem uninterested. "Prithee, do not act as if you were not in full support of my plans. You did not care much for Perseus."

Athena, instead of snapping at her, smirked yet again. She did so victoriously, as if she had accomplished something. It irked the Queen of the Gods to no end. "I do not care for him at all, and I do not wish to witness his life nor his death. Thalia is the only hero I am focused on as of late. Naturally, you are indebted to me. You will reveal to me your intentions…before Father fully discovers them for himself, that is. If you were to require any assistance at all, I would be your only ally, my Queen."

Before Hera could respond, the professionally clothed Goddess of Wisdom departed in specks of gray.


	12. Daddy Dearest

**A/N: Hope this makes up for taking a long time on the last update. I'll try and keep the updates coming faster, but I can't make any promises. I didn't have the time to review any errors, so do let me know if any are bothersome. Thank you all for reading and reviewing!**

**Warning: Centaur smut, dickhead Ares, and no real action. Oops. Hopefully it is still entertaining. Oh, and uh...just kidding about that first one.**

**Disclaimer: PJatO does not belong to me. It's all Rick's.**

* * *

**Daddy Dearest**

"So, I'm thinking that you dweebs decided you wanted all of the glory," Clarisse remarked spitefully as they weaved their way around the gunnery deck.

"You should probably stop thinking, then," the daughter of Zeus replied.

The daughter of Ares had insisted on giving them a tour of the steamship, which was turning out to be even more boring than Thalia predicted beforehand. She didn't know what half of the things were, and Tyson was pressed so close to her that they were inches away from being Siamese twins. He was scared, and being between the two demigods made him calmer.

Clarisse didn't bother responding to her, continuing to lead them to dinner. Thalia's stomach growled, but thankfully the sound of the ship masked it. She had recently stuffed her face with donuts, but she was freaking starved.

They were seated at a small table, covered by a white linen sheet. Fine, but old, china silverware and plates cluttered the surface. Thalia dug into the ham and cheese sandwich immediately, paying no mind to the look of anger the daughter of Ares had never stopped sending her.

"Tantalus expelled you morons for eternity," Clarisse announced. She did not sound smug or satisfied, which instantly caught Thalia's attention. The daughter of Ares sounded almost upset by the news she revealed. "Mr. D took his side and swore to kill you all if you dared to show up to camp again."

"You don't sound too enthused about that," Thalia noted aloud, secretly testing the waters between them. Like her, Clarisse had an incredibly short temper. Even though the daughter of Zeus was certainly no coward, she wasn't about to piss the girl off and prompt her to throw them overboard.

Clarisse shrugged, taking a long swig of her Dr. Pepper. "Olympus needs all of the fighters it can get right now…and you and Princess Percy are too valuable to risk losing. Tantalus is, by all means, an ignorant jerk."

"You didn't seem to mind his hatefulness whenever he praised you," Percy remarked sarcastically. The daughter of Ares glared at him spitefully, and Thalia was surprised that his smirk didn't falter. "Tantalus the one that provided you with this ship?"

"Of course not, Barnacle Turd," Clarisse snapped, still angry about his previous comment. Thalia resisted the urge to snort at her lame, yet strangely effective insult. "The spirits on the losing side of any war are in debt to Ares. It's sort of their…uh, curse for being defeated."

"War reparations?" Thalia questioned, swiping a handful of Percy's chips when he looked away.

"Kind of," Clarisse grunted, taking the last bite of her sandwich. "They have no other choice but to serve Ares eternally, or until he decides they have paid enough. I prayed to my father for naval transport, and here it is. They'll do anything I want them to."

It sounded like she was trying to rub it in their face—as if she had one-upped them. Clarisse was implying that her father cared more for her than Zeus or Poseidon cared for either of them. It grated on Thalia's nerves, but she bit her tongue hard, silently holding herself back from mouthing off.

"We think Luke is going for the Golden Fleece," the son of Poseidon quickly changed the subject. "Had a spy in camp—we don't know who—and he found out the coordinates."

Clarisse scoffed. "Well, I'll blow him out of the bloody water, then!"

Before Percy could argue against her, two sets of footsteps echoed through the hall. Thalia's ears perked up immediately, and she curiously turned her head to the doorway of the captain's quarters. Two figures entered the room slowly, talking quietly with one another. They were all flesh and solid clothes, unlike the ghouls of the ship.

"Annabeth!" Tyson called out gleefully, and the daughter of Athena appeared as if she had just been shot.

Her gray eyes took in everything in the room quickly, and soon she was sprinting towards Percy and Thalia. The two children of the Big Three stood and hugged her individually, waving to Silena Beauregard. The two demigoddesses took a seat at the cramped table, ignoring the agitated grunt of Clarisse.

"Oh, don't bother with Claire Bear," Silena said, smiling as the daughter of Ares seethed. "She's just angry because she doesn't like you three, and she and Annabeth have been bickering this whole time."

Annabeth released a large breath of air. "That reminds me…" Before Thalia could ask her what she meant, a hard palm struck her cheek. It nearly sent her flying out of her chair. Percy started to laugh before the daughter of Athena slapped him across the face as well. "What in the world were you two thinking? Chiron made me promise to protect you, and you jerks just _sneak out_?"

Thalia rubbed her sore cheek, frowning at her blonde friend. "You don't get it. We had to leave."

Clarisse stood from the table quickly. "You didn't have to do shit, Daughter of Zeus!" she yelled, incidentally knocking over her can of Dr. Pepper. Soda drizzled onto the floor, and Silena wrinkled her nose at the sight. "All you losers had to do was stay at camp, but _no_, you just had to sweep in and steal all the freaking glory. This is my fucking quest. It's my time to shine now. I'll be damned if I'm about to let a couple of punks ruin it for me!"

"Clarisse," the daughter of Aphrodite spoke softly, tugging on the taller girl's forearm. "Sit down. Don't get so riled up. Hear them out first."

"Fine!" Angered, the child of Ares sat down. "What are you waiting for? Out with it, then."

Thalia ran a hand through her short, now extremely curly and messy hair. "We were instructed by a god to go and find the Fleece. I don't know why." Clarisse remained silent, appearing as if she weren't listening to a word the brunette was saying. "We didn't come to steal anything from you. Percy and I don't give a shit about glory. We want to find and help Grover, and we want to get the Golden Fleece. With Luke seeking it now—"

"Luke?" Annabeth cut in. "What do you mean?"

"As we told Clarisse before," Percy said, "Luke had a spy at camp. He found out the coordinates. He knows all about the quest."

Thalia was seemingly the only one that noticed Silena fidget. She narrowed her eyes at the girl, watching as the dove's eyes shifted between the table and the wall.

The daughter of Athena sighed heavily. "Great. That's absolutely wonderful. How did you find out?"

"Eros sent us on the quest. He told us that we could hitch a ride on this boat, and he pointed it out to us. We snuck on the ship, and spent the night there." Thalia scratched the back of her neck—a sheepish habit of hers. "We only realized the next morning that it was Luke's ship. He has it stocked full of monsters and weird brainwashed mortals."

Silena gulped. "That's…that's bad. Oh gods, that's bad."

Clarisse eyed the daughter of Aphrodite with something akin to concern, and it threw Thalia for a loop. The rough demigoddess had never behaved that way in front of anyone. Maybe they had bonded during their journey?

Annabeth nodded, her mouth thinning as she tensely pressed her lips together. "Bad is right, Silena. We need to combine forces or something. Even if Luke manages to have a few tricks up his sleeve, we can't go wrong with teaming up. We'll have an advantage."

The daughter of Ares shook her head violently. "No," she said. "Scratch that—hell no. They aren't part of _my _quest."

"Tantalus is only setting us up to fail, Clarisse," Annabeth argued. "I've never met Eros, but a god doesn't just send heroes on a quest for no good reason. Percy, Thalia, and…Tyson are all meant to go with us."

"I don't need Lightning Brat," Clarisse pointed to Thalia, causing the dark-haired demigoddess to huff indignantly, "and I don't need Nemo." She pointed to Percy, but he simply ignored the jibe. "I don't give a shit about what the Oracle said."

"What the Oracle said?" Annabeth perked up. "You hid something from me. I knew it. What part of the prophecy didn't you tell us?"

The daughter of Ares reddened. "Nothing." She took a long swig from a new can of soda. "It's none of your business anyway. We're going to finish this damn quest without the help of the _heroes_. I can't let them go, but they aren't helping."

Before Annabeth could pry again, Silena sat an arm on the blonde's shoulder. "Leave it alone, Annabeth."

"You can't let us go?" Percy repeated slowly, scoffing. "What are we now? Your prisoners?"

Tyson whimpered. "Prisoners," he agreed shyly. Thalia furrowed her brows, reaching out to pat his forearm. She had never been good with comforting, but it seemed to soothe the young Cyclops.

Clarisse snickered, propping her boots on the fresh linen-covered table and crossing them. "You're my guests. For now. Captain, take them below. Assign them hammocks on the berth deck. If they don't mind their manners, feel free to demonstrate to them how we deal with enemy spies."

The hammocks were highly uncomfortable, and Thalia was unable to fall asleep to the sound of Percy snoring. The ship moved far too dangerously for her liking, and she had a feeling that she would throw up her dinner if she tried to stand up. The only thing keeping her slight nausea at bay was the strangely soothing noises coming from Tyson's hammock.

Curiously, she gazed across the narrow space to see the young Cyclops tinkering with metal of some sort. His mighty hands worked around the pieces faster than she had ever thought possible, and she wasn't able to decipher what he was doing. Finally, she convinced herself to outright ask him. His head turned to her in surprise when he heard her quietly spoken question, and his big brown eye blinked slowly.

"I make things," he replied, almost cautiously.

"So, is that like…therapy for you or something?" she asked, trying to start a conversation. She hoped talking would help calm her anxiety and sea-sickness.

His hands fumbled with the metal, nearly dropping it. He remained silent, seemingly not hearing her inquiry. She sighed, turning her gaze to the ceiling above._ You know you're uninteresting when I Cyclops is giving you the cold shoulder, _she mused to herself.

Then, she heard his voice again, surprisingly quiet but unsurprisingly childish: "I know that you do not like me and I am sorry."

Thalia arched a brow, glancing over at him to see that he was still tinkering with his metal contraption. "I don't mind you," she supplied, but it sounded like a lie even to her own ears.

"No," the Cyclops assured, not meeting her gaze. "It is okay. Used to it."

The daughter of Zeus bit down on the inside of her cheek, placing her hands beneath her head. Their conversation faded into silence once more, the high sounds of metal clanging against metal the only noise breaking through the tense air. Eventually, it became too much for her. She sat up, ignoring the slight tilting of the ship. She hung nearly six feet above the floor in her hammock—they all did—but it wasn't nearly high enough to make her worry.

"You—you like making stuff?" she found herself asking, actually genuinely curious. She knew Cyclops had a resistance to fire, but she had never really known of any who enjoyed making things. Then again, she had never bothered studying about it. She had always been used to simply killing monsters.

Tyson's fingers ceased moving, and his calf brown eye looked to her. "Yes," he answered honestly, innocently. "Love to make things." He started up again, the metal blurring as he worked efficiently. Once again, she had nothing more to say. Shockingly, he broke the silence. "You make things?"

Thalia couldn't help but smile a little. "I'm not a creative person," she responded honestly. "When I was growing up, my mother used to have me change her tires and stuff, but I don't have what it takes to _make_ anything."

"What do you do for fun?" Tyson asked, almost incredulously. "If you do not make things."

"I don't know. I like being outside a lot. I uh, I sing sometimes."

"Sing?"

"Yeah," she said, nodding even though he wasn't looking at her. She didn't even know why she had brought it up. Out of all the things she could have said, she went with singing. "Like, in the shower and stuff. Not dramatically in the rain and definitely not in front of anyone."

His grin was wide, but he attempted to hide it for some reason. "You...make music?'

She shrugged. "I don't _make _music. I like music. There's a difference, Tyson."

He continued to smile, and eventually he tucked his metal device into his pocket. He got comfortable on his hammock, his weight causing the swinging bed to nearly crash into Percy's. He laughed at the action, but did not try to do it again.

"Why did you save me?"

Thalia didn't even realize she had asked it, but he had apparently heard her. His eyebrow was raised in confusion. She cleared her throat before clarifying, "When the Hydra got the best of me and knocked me down, why…why did you swoop in and fight it?"

"You are my friend," he said, as if it were perfectly normal that a Cyclops saved a demigod. "I will protect you."

She let his answer seek in, staring off at a nearby wall. She was going to say something more, but then her ears registered his loud snoring. She shook her head but smiled a little, before she turned on her side. She wasn't sure why, but she believed him. Her demigod instincts still went slightly crazy around him, but she felt secure enough.

Thalia was sure that she had to be making a mistake—trusting a Cyclops and all—but she couldn't find it in herself to feel such an aversion to him any longer. He was really difficult to hate.

Percy mumbled in his sleep, turning on his side. He mentioned something about a state-of-the-art security system before snoring again. She wasn't sure how long she had relaxed into the hammock, listening to the loudly slumbering boys around her, but it felt like forever. Annabeth rushed into the area with a reddened face, and Thalia's eyes shot to her.

"What's the matter, Annie?" she asked quietly, sitting up and dangling her feet over the edge of the hammock. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine," the daughter of Athena said, breathing heavily. "But I won't be soon. We're going to enter the Sea of Monsters."

"So soon?" Thalia asked. Annabeth nodded in reply. "Damn. Are we close to the entrance?"

"We're pretty close, but we still have about two hours," the blonde demigoddess answered tensely. "Clarisse is trying to get there even faster. She's a raging lunatic."

Thalia didn't bother to stifle her quiet laugh. "There's plenty of rage in her," she agreed in a whisper, not wanting to wake either of her companions. "So, this is going to sound extremely stupid, but what exactly should we be expecting?"

Annabeth released an exhausted breath of air. "You've heard the tales of Odysseus. Imagine that—but with less death, hopefully."

"What were we thinking?" Thalia muttered under her breath, but the daughter of Athena had heard.

"What do you mean, Thalia?"

The daughter of Zeus glanced down, watching her boots as they began to swing back and forth. "Annabeth, Percy and I aren't prepared for this. You're the only brains we have. Outside of you, we can't make heads or tails of anything in the demigod world. It took us forever to figure out how to defeat the Hydra, and without Clarisse we would have been killed by the thing."

"You and Percy aren't completely hopeless without me," the blonde disagreed, her eyebrows furrowing together in slight confusion. It was rare for her to be confused by something. Then again, it was rare for the brunette to be unconfident about her abilities. "Between the two of you, I'm sure you can muster up a brain." Thalia rolled her eyes. "Have a little more faith, Thals. And I'm trying to convince Clarisse to allow you three to help us out. I think she's close to caving."

"Clarisse?" Thalia repeated incredulously. "We talking 'bout the same stubborn bitch here, Beth?"

Annabeth snickered, but nodded. "Yes. I believe we have the same one in mind."

"She's getting tired of you nagging her all the time?" the daughter of Zeus asked, smirking. "That's the only way she would ever back down."

Annabeth scoffed. "Oh, shut up," she said, reaching up to swat at Thalia's foot. "You're so mean."

Thalia frowned innocently. "Am not."

"Are too."

"Whatever," the brunette drawled out, stretching her arms above her head. "I haven't slept yet. I might as well try and pitch in a little around here. Is there anything you have for me to do?"

"Aren't you getting seasick?"

"That doesn't matter," the taller girl brushed off. "I'm only getting nauseous from being down in this hellhole. The hammock keeps fucking swinging every two seconds. It's driving me nuts."

Annabeth nodded understandingly. "I know what you mean. Follow me, and you can hang with Silena and I. Clarisse is busy right now, so don't worry about her ordering you back here or anything."

"I don't have to take orders from anyone, especially not from her."

"She would find a way to force you."

Thalia ignored her, hefting her duffel bag over a shoulder. "So…what's Clarisse doing anyway? Bothering the captain or something?"

"Or something," Annabeth said quietly.

The daughter of Zeus followed the blonde girl through the ship without another word, figuring that it had been none of her business. The two of them walked upstairs, and they eventually found themselves on the spar deck. Silena was awaiting them peacefully, narrowing her eyes at the sun above. Thalia thought she resembled a Barbie doll in Greek armor—one without the obvious breast implants.

"Thalia," Silena greeted her quietly, turning around to face her briefly. She flashed a small smile, and the brunette couldn't help but notice how beautiful it was. Daughters of Aphrodite weren't known for their bad looks, after all. "How was your sleep?"

"Nonexistent," the daughter of Zeus replied. "And yours?"

"I didn't sleep much," the dove admitted, and her tone suggested that the small talk would end soon. "Are you ready?"

"For?"

"Uh, the Sea of Monsters," the child of Aphrodite responded, amused. There was something incredibly sad about her expression, though Thalia couldn't tell what. "Have you forgotten already?"

"No," the brunette said with a laugh. "Annabeth here kindly reminded me of that."

"You're welcome, by the way," the mentioned demigoddess added in jovially. "Thalia wants to make herself useful, Silena. Can you think of anything for her to do?"

The daughter of Aphrodite clapped her hands together with fake enthusiasm. "We could do with some entertainment around here. We should make her dance around."

The punk demigoddess' cheeks flushed red, and Annabeth jumped on the opportunity to tease her. "Aw, we made her blush." Thalia glared at her, and the blonde laughed. "Relax, Thalia, we're just joking with you. Lighten up."

Thalia stifled a laugh. "That's hilarious coming from you." The blonde ignored her, choosing to stare off in the direction they were headed. When she turned back to make eye contact with Thalia, her gray eyes were wide with alarm. "What?" the brunette asked.

"Is it time?" Silena asked, scowling. She had never seen the girl scowl before, and it looked strangely out-of-place. Annabeth nodded, gulping visibly. "I'll…I'll get Clarisse."

"No!" the daughter of Athena argued immediately, causing the two other girls to eye her warily. "Don't get Clarisse. She's…a little busy right now. Inform the captain. He'll pass the message onto her."

"What the hell happened to two hours?" Thalia questioned loudly.

Annabeth raised her eyebrows. "I told you that Clarisse was trying to get there sooner."

"Great," the daughter of Zeus mumbled. "I better go get Percy."

Before the other girl could say anything, Thalia rushed back downstairs and to the berth deck. She shook Tyson's hammock lightly, not wanting to frighten him. When his big brown eye blinked at her with confusion, she said, "Get up, buddy. Go upstairs and find Annabeth. We're heading into the Sea of Monsters."

The Cyclops got up immediately, surprising her. "Hurry!" he informed her urgently, obviously not wanting her to be left behind. She nodded to him, watching as he made his way to the others.

Thalia turned to Percy's hammock, barely having to reach up in order to shake his hammock. He stirred slightly, but didn't wake. Becoming frustrated, she shook him harder. When all he did was mumble, she angrily gave the next shove a little more power. The hammock flipped over, causing the son of Poseidon to land face-first on the deck below.

She tried hard not to laugh, knowing it would only upset the boy more. He groaned in pain, peering up at her in bewilderment.

"What was that for?" he grumbled. She opened her mouth to answer, but alarm bells suddenly rang around the ship, answering his question for her. "And where is Tyson?"

"All hands on deck!" the captain's voice yelled. "Find Lady Clarisse! Where is that girl?"

Percy scrambled to his feet, stuffing the belongings he had left into a sailor's canvas knapsack. His duffel bag had been torn beyond repair. He swiped her bag from her and before she could protest, he transferred its contents into his knapsack. He strung it over his shoulder, throwing the yellow duffel bag to the ground.

"It will be easier to carry our things this way," he supplied. "Now, what's going on?"

"We're approaching the entrance to the Sea of Monsters."

The two rushed up the stairs, but something suddenly made Percy stop in his tracks. She spun around to face him curiously, seeing his cheeks redden and his nose begin to flare. He looked pissed off to say the least, and it was really bothering her. Then, she felt it. Anger surged through her veins, encouraging her to march to Clarisse and knock her lights out. She was unreasonably upset, and she recognized the feeling.

Percy and Thalia crept to the edge of the ventilation gate and peered down into the boiler deck. What they saw made the daughter of Zeus grit her teeth. Clarisse was speaking to a shimmering image, seemingly produced from the smoke of the boilers. Ares stood in all his biker-wannabe glory, a knife strapped to the belt of his leather pants. He appeared even meaner than ever, his brutish features further roughened by the smoky air.

"I don't want excuses, little girl!" he growled.

"Yes, father," Clarisse mumbled in reply, and Thalia thought it sounded far too subservient to be the daughter of the God of War.

"You don't want to see me mad, do you?"

"No, father."

"_No_, _father,_" Ares mimicked her shamelessly. "You're pathetic. I should have let one of my _sons _take this quest."

Thalia narrowed her eyes into icy blue slits, clenching her fists. He was such a sexist asshole. Who talked to their own daughter like that? In her eyes, it was better to be ignored by an Olympian parent than bullied by one. Why did Clarisse act so proud to be that hog's daughter?

"I'll succeed!" Clarisse promised, her voice weak and trembling. "I'll make you proud?"

Thalia felt a sharp pang in her chest. Wasn't that what all of them wanted?

"You'd better," he replied angrily. "You asked me for this quest, girl. If you let that slime ball Jackson steal it from you—"

Slime ball? Oh, c'mon, he was a god. Couldn't he come up with better insults than that? He had plenty of time to think about it.

"But the Oracle said—"

"I don't care what it said!" Ares shouted, his figure shimmering as a result. "You will succeed. And if you don't…" He raised his fist threateningly, causing his daughter of flinch.

Thalia nearly growled at the move. Clarisse wasn't her friend, but no one should ever be treated like that. She didn't care who Ares thought he was.

"Do we understand each other?" the god prattled on, sneering at his own kid.

Percy pulled the brunette away from the ventilation grate, and they ascended the steps together, heading in the direction of the spar deck.


	13. The Crewmen Buffet

**A/N: First time writing from Clarisse's point-of-view. Sorry for the delay, but I've been preoccupied with some other writings. If there are any mistakes, feel free to let me know.**

**Oh, and I don't usually promote other stories within mine, but "The Queen's Servant" by not for granted ****is off to a great start and I highly suggest it. It may not be your thing, of course, but I really like it. **

* * *

**The Crewmen Buffet**

Clarisse stomped her way up the staircase, heading to the spar deck. Her father's words had gotten to her—they always had. His insults and demands echoed in her head and no matter how much she tried to distract herself, she couldn't ignore them. She felt the sting of tears in her eyes, but she quickly and angrily blinked them away. Daughters of Ares didn't cry. She'd show her father that she would succeed. It was her only option.

She didn't bother glancing in the direction of Percy or Thalia. Those _perfect_ heroes had to get in her way. Chiron thought the brats could do no wrong. He treated him like they were the next Heracles and Achilles. Frankly, it was enough to make her sick to her stomach. They were only treated so well by Chiron because they were children of the Big Three. The two of them got respect, honor, and so much more from all the other campers.

Clarisse wasn't like those hopeless tag-along demigods that stared after the children of the Big Three in amazement. She didn't think Percy and Thalia were all that great. She knew they had faults—faults even worse than hers. They weren't flawless, but many people thought they were. They didn't see what Clarisse did. She was the daughter of the God of War, and she would be damned if she wasn't able to see the absolute worst in everyone around her. She wasn't blind. She knew what everyone thought of her. Some feared her, but all of them mocked her behind her back—even her own siblings.

She shook her thoughts off in frustration, snatching binoculars from a nearby zombie crewmate. She glanced through them, staring off into the horizon. "At last," she murmured to herself, though she didn't care if anyone else heard. "Captain, full steam ahead!"

Her nerves were going haywire, and the air around them was so hazy and humid that it nearly suffocated her. But she was anything but afraid. She had been waiting for this, after all.

The captain of the steamship followed her orders immediately, and the vessel gained speed. Off to her left, she heard the Cyclops mutter, "Too much strain on the pistons. Not meant for deep water."

Before she could tell him to shut his monstrous mouth, the daughter of Zeus stepped in front of her. "What's the game plan?" she asked, her perpetually confident voice making Clarisse want to ram a sword through her.

"I fend the monsters off," the daughter of Ares remarked harshly, "and you stay the hell out of my way."

"Monsters?" the demigoddess asked in reply. "What monsters?"

"It's not called the Sea of _Monsters _as a joke," Clarisse said, pointing to the horizon. To the north, an island with numerous high cliffs came into focus. South of them was a large brewing storm—seemingly a hurricane.

"We can handle a storm. Percy and I can do something to stop it," Thalia insisted.

Clarisse resisted the urge to roll her eyes—wait, hold that, no she didn't. She didn't care if she disrespected the daughter of Zeus. Thalia was such a know-it-all. _Percy and I can do something to stop it, _Clarisse mocked in her head. Please. The punks were in way over their heads.

"That's not a hurricane, stupid," the daughter of Ares snapped. "Charybdis."

The look on the taller girl's face was enough to make Clarisse snicker. Thalia's eyes were wide, as she obviously had not expected the news. "Charybdis?" She quickly glanced in the direction they were sailing. "We have to travel through Scylla and Charybdis in order to enter the Sea of Monsters," she recalled.

"Uh, why don't we just sail around them?" Percy suggested, and Clarisse growled.

"Idiot, it isn't that simple. If we try and go around them, they'll just appear in our path again," she explained impatiently. "It's the only way to get into the Sea of Monsters."

"Wrong, again, Clarisse," Annabeth snapped. "There's also the Clashing Rocks. Jason used that gateway."

The daughter of Ares seethed. Ever since they had started the quest, Annabeth had been jumping down her fucking throat about everything. _No, Clarisse, you're incorrect! Actually, it would be best to do this! Oh, Clarisse, stop being such an ass! _Honestly, she was fed up with it. She had actually made an effort to be nicer to the blonde, hoping to mend their previous qualms in order to experience an enjoyable quest. Unfortunately, it seemed that Clarisse could do nothing right. She was getting sick of that feeling.

The daughter of the God of War made a fake buzzer noise. "Oh? What's that? The Princess of Everything is incorrect for once?" she mocked. "My cannons can't blow apart freaking rocks, Annabeth. Monsters, on the other hand…"

"You're insane!" the daughter of Athena protested.

A smirk rose to Clarisse's face. "Oh yeah? Is that what I am? I'll show you insane, Wise Girl." She turned to look to the captain. "Set course for Scylla!"

"Aye, milady!"

The ship picked up speed once more, and the daughter of Ares couldn't fight the smirk off her face if she tried. They were going to blow the monster to bloody pieces.

"Scylla?" Percy asked. "What's her story?"

"She lives in the cave, up on those cliffs. If we get too close, her snaky heads will come down and start plucking sailors off the ship. We're going to try to get far enough away from the two of them, but closer to Scylla. That way, if she does attack, we can send cannon balls into her heads, and blow her to bits."

"And, what about Charybdis? She sucks up the sea. Isn't that the story?"

"And spits it back out, yeah," the daughter of Ares said.

"We should go for her, then. Your cannons don't look as if they can shoot straight up," Percy said, trying to be helpful. Well, she didn't need his fucking help.

"If we keep the right amount of distance from her, we won't have to shoot directly upwards. We can probably get a good angle."

"You don't think we'll just end up pissing her off?" Thalia butted in with her two-cents. "She's way too high. We'll end up having to fend her off with swords, when she swoops down for us. Even then, she might just decide to pick up the whole damn ship. And besides, if the myths are accurate, there is no in-between. You either get attacked by Scylla, or by Charybdis."

"You two aren't the fucking weapon experts, first of all," Clarisse snapped, not bothering to hide her irritation. "I'm the child of Ares, remember? I would know more than any of you, what would work and what wouldn't. Second of all, Charybdis would be even harder to skirt past."

"She just sits there, right in the middle of the whirlwind," the daughter of Zeus argued back. "We'll have a clearer shot at her."

"How did heroes fight them in the past?" Percy asked, breaking into the argument.

"They didn't," Annabeth said. "Odysseus sailed closer to Scylla, knowing that some would die. They usually had to sacrifice some of their men."

Clarisse smiled wickedly. "Well, Percy and Thalia seem to be looking forward to charging Charybdis, so I say we let them."

"Clarisse," Silena said, reprimanding the other girl. "Be nice. We aren't going to sacrifice either of them."

As the ship neared Scylla's cave, the air around them grew thicker. The wet, nasty roar of Charybdis, although certainly not far, was beginning to fade away. They lurked closer to the monster within the cliffs, the waves beneath them rose with every one of Charybdis' breaths, and gallons of water assaulted them.

Clarisse watched the calm undead soldiers around her. She came to the conclusion that if they weren't scared, she had no reason to be. She could do this. She could pull them out of this alive.

"Still have the thermos?" Thalia asked Percy.

Thermos? What thermos?

"Winds will only make it worse," he reasoned.

"No, not to use on Charybdis. When Scylla starts to attack, we can open it up a tad, and speed right past her," the daughter of Zeus explained. What the hell were they keeping from her? Thalia saw her look of confusion, and begrudgingly elaborated. "Eros gave us gifts to help on the quest. The thermos is full of winds from Aeolus."

Annabeth nodded in understanding, but Clarisse didn't know what the fuck Lightning Dolt was talking about. "But…are you sure that it will help us get past Scylla in time? According to legend, her heads can snap us up faster than we can unscrew a thermos."

Thalia looked helpless. "It's worth a shot." Her normally confident voice caught a little.

"We need a backup plan," the daughter of Athena decided, crossing her arms over her chest plate. "This isn't going to work."

"Annabeth is right," the Cyclops affirmed. "Engine is no good."

Clarisse scoffed, eyeing the creature up and down. "What would you know about the engine? My steamship is in great condition—"

"Pressure. Pistons need fixing," Tyson interrupted.

Before she could ask what he meant, a roar hissed through the air—right above Clarisse. Relying on demigod instinct, she drew Maimer and jabbed it directly above her head. Scales gave out beneath the blade, and she was quick to withdraw her weapon. The creature, which Clarisse recognized as one of the vicious heads of Scylla, wailed before retreating to the cliffs.

It had to have been the size of a fucking elephant. She knew it would be back, bringing the other heads with it, but she wasn't sure when. Scylla was known to attack when heroes least expected it. It could be a good ten minutes before she made another move.

"Forward!" the daughter of Ares shouted mightily. Even though they were a good distance from Charybdis, the sea was rough on either side of the ship. "Get us in firing range! Make ready starboard cannons!"

Her brown eyes barely saw Thalia rip apart another reptilian head, Aegis unraveling on her wrist. Lightning coursed through the thing's jaw and razor-sharp teeth. She thought she was just so special, didn't she? Growling in the back of her throat, Clarisse leaped in front of Silena to fend off anything that might try and hurt her. The daughter of Aphrodite wasn't the best fighter, but she had a heart of gold.

An undead Confederate rushed out of the hold and approached Clarisse. His beard had been ignited, and his uniform was smoldering. "Boiler room overheating, ma'am! She's going to blow!"

"What are you waiting for, then? Get down there and fucking fix it!"

"Can't!" the soldier said in response. "We're vaporizing in the heat."

"We just need a few more minutes, just until we can get past—oh shit!" Clarisse was cut off as one of Scylla's heads swooped down for her. Before she had time to react, Percy was already slashing at the creature's mouth. Angrily, Scylla retreated once more. "I didn't need your help, Jackson!"

"Yeah, well, the horrified look in your eyes said otherwise," the son of Poseidon snapped before rushing back over to his three friends. "You don't have to worry about my help anymore, because you won't be getting it."

Clarisse was about to respond to him, but the sailor beside her fought to grab her attention. "Ma'am, we're going too fast. Prepare yourself for death."

"No!" Tyson bellowed. "I can fix it."

All of them glanced at him in surprise, but they quickly turned their attentions to the cliffs. They couldn't afford to be caught off-guard. Scylla could attack again anytime.

Clarisse grumbled, "You?"

"He's a Cyclops," Annabeth reasoned. "He's immune to fire and good with mechanics."

"Go!" the daughter of the God of War shouted without a second thought.

Tyson made for the ship's hold, but Percy stopped him. "No! Tyson, buddy, it's too dangerous."

"Only way, brother," the Cyclops said, patting Percy on his hand. In all the days that they had spent in camp, Clarisse had never seen the monsters so confident. "I will fix it. Be right back."

A rumbling in the cliffs brought Percy's attention back to them. Clarisse, trying not to show her worry, narrowed her eyes at the place where the monster dwelled. Several clumps of land dropped down into the sea, and it looked as if something large were moving rapidly throughout the cliffs – something bigger than just one of the heads.

"Lady Clarisse," the captain's voice sounded. "Starboard guns are within range."

There was no hesitation. As soon as the words were pulled from his translucent mouth, she ordered, "Fire!"

Three rounds were shot towards the cliffs, cannonballs either bouncing off or embedding themselves in the landmass. They weren't nearly close enough for the weaponry to penetrate, and Clarisse silently reprimanded herself for not seeing the problem ahead of time.

Frustrated, the daughter of Ares yelled, "Again!"

Soldiers hurriedly reloaded the cannons on command, and she couldn't help but feel proud of herself. They were listening to _her_—not Percy, not Thalia, but _her_.

The rumbling suddenly became more profound, as if Scylla knew they were reloading. Clarisse clenched her jaw and steeled her nerves. Silena had a sword drawn, holding it ready. To the larger demigoddess' surprise, the girl didn't even look awkward with it. It looked as if Silena was actually ready for a battle, which had only ever happened before whenever someone had stolen her new hair straightener.

"Fire!"

Parts of the cliffs began to crumble down into the sea, and a threatening hiss rang through the air.

"You're only making her even angrier, Clarisse!" Ah, there was Annabeth again.

"You got a suggestion?" the daughter of Ares snapped heatedly.

"Yeah, don't fire," Thalia cut into the conversation, glaring at Clarisse so harshly that she was taken aback. "We're close to getting past her. We just need to wait until her last attack, slice at another snakehead, and then we'll be safe from—"

She stopped talking when the vibrations in the deck changed remarkably. The engine was obviously running much smoother and sturdier, and they sped up on the water. The ship was shuddering, but they seemed like they were going to make it away from the two sisters. But, Clarisse had a sinking feeling in her stomach…

"Tyson did it!" Silena said excitedly.

Clarisse wanted to say that it was no big deal—that any monkey could have done it—but she bit her bitter tongue. Percy and Thalia looked relieved, as if they had any doubt in their minds that they would come out victorious. Please. They fucking won everything.

Just as the ship began to make it past the cliffs, the engine started to act up again. High waves crashed against all sides of the ship, causing it to drift and tilt. Percy closed his eyes, his brows furrowing in concentration, and Clarisse guessed that he was attempting to keep them from being thrown overboard. She gripped onto the iron railing, even though it was searing hot.

"The engine is about to blow!" the captain announced again. "The Cyclops is still down there, trying his best to get it on track again."

Before any of them could ask questions, a column of brown and green shot out of the sky and snatched him from the ship, lifting him away. His boots were the only thing left of him. Clarisse swallowed roughly, looking to the cliffs. She hadn't realized that Scylla had been that fast before. The demigods had simply been working off of instinct. It was a wonder that they had managed to fend any of the heads off.

"We have to abandon ship!" a sailor shouted, cringing whenever Clarisse turned to glare at him. "Ma'am, we have no choice! The engine is worn to its limit, and Scylla will surely engulf us all—"

Naturally, before he could finish, the monster in question took him to his captain.

Within seconds, another crewman was yanked up. Clarisse could have sworn that Scylla had not been so quick before. She couldn't even make out anything but the creature's scales as it took yet another sailor. Had the monster been merely toying with them before, fooling them into thinking that they stood a chance?

"We have to get below!" Thalia shouted, puppy-guarding Annabeth and Silena like someone was fucking paying her to do it. Gods, she got on Clarisse's nerves!

"Below deck is in flames," the daughter of Ares yelled back. "We can't survive that. Either way, we're dead."

"Lifeboats!" Percy ordered. "Quick!"

Since when was Prissy Boy calling the shots?

"They'll never get clear of the cliffs," Clarisse dismissed the idea with a scowl. "We'll all be eaten."

Thalia turned her gaze to the end of the cliffs. "We can make it. It's worth a try. We're close enough."

Clarisse grunted in anger. "Fine! But, I'm taking the thermos."

Surprisingly, Percy didn't argue. He threw it to her without a second thought. Thalia narrowed her eyes at him, obviously disapproving of his actions. His eyes widened, as if he hadn't even realized what he had done. Undoubtedly, he had acted on impulse.

"I have to get Tyson!" the son of Poseidon shouted. "Help Clarisse get the lifeboats ready, Thalia!"

"The heat will kill you!" Annabeth angrily said. "Percy, you can't go down there."

Clarisse began to uncover one of the emergency boats, watching as the surprisingly quiet daughter of Zeus revealed the other.

Before the son of Poseidon could reach the boiler hatch, Scylla snatched him up by his knapsack. Thalia instantly stopped what she was doing, yelling, "Percy!"

Clarisse didn't stop preparing the lifeboats. Once she, Annabeth, and Silena were safely in one, the daughter of Ares had to force Thalia into her own. As the boats fell into the sea below, the son of the Sea God jabbed the creature holding him in the eye, causing Scylla to drop him. Before he could fall very far, the _CSS Birmingham _exploded.

Thalia was yelling something, her face flushed red and her fists tightly wrapped around the lifeboat's oar, but she couldn't be heard over the sounds of the exploding steamship. Clarisse felt slightly bad for both Annabeth and Thalia, knowing that the two of them were close to Percy.

As she watched him fall, she thought back to what the demigods had been saying about the thermos. Supposedly, it held winds that would carry them across the sea. That meant that there was a chance that the winds would tug Percy along with them, and he could possibly land unharmed in his father's domain. After a bit of self-loathing, Clarisse turned the top of the thermos, perhaps a bit too much. Their lifeboats scattered with the wind, and Percy sailed in the air with them.

Gods, she had really just saved a bunch of people she couldn't stand.

* * *

Percy's head felt heavy whenever he returned to consciousness. The last thing he remembered was falling into the sea, and now a makeshift sail billowed out above him. The rowboat he was laying in wasn't the most comfortable thing he had ever been in, and his bones felt worn and shaky, but right now it all seemed like a miracle. And Thalia's bright blue eyes looking over him in concern? Well, that was just a bonus.

His mind felt groggy, and he tried to push himself to sit up. With hardly any effort at all, Thalia reached over and forced him to lie back down. "You might want to rest," she said, smiling sadly. "You're probably going to need it. You took quite the fall."

It was then that he noticed her eyes were surrounded with a ring of red. Had she…been crying? No, no, it wasn't like her to cry. She was Thalia Grace, for fuck sake. Besides, there were no tear trails on her face. She may not have cried, but it was obvious that she had at least been upset. He avoided mentioning it, knowing it would only disturb her and cause her to get defensive.

"Tyson…?"

The demigoddess' nose twitched as she narrowed her eyes at the sun. She didn't necessarily avoid making eye contact with him, but she didn't make an effort to look at him either. "I'm sorry, Kelp Head," she said, her voice without a detectable feeling.

Percy wasn't sure what to say to that, so he kept quiet. He had no words to speak, but he had plenty of depressing things to think. He remembered denying any relation to Tyson, avoiding him, and feeling embarrassed by him. The Cyclops—someone who should have technically been a monster—had given his life for them.

Waves splashed against the rowboat, but none of them were big or threatening. Thankfully, Thalia drew him away from his thoughts. "I have my bag, some ambrosia and nectar, a couple of sailor shirts that Annabeth gave me before we launched, and a bottle of Pepsi."

"You didn't get Dr. Pepper?"

She arched that sassy black eyebrow at him, and he couldn't help but smile—just a little. "You're seriously complaining about that?" Percy shrugged. "I fished you out of the water, you know."

"Oh, yeah?"

She nodded. "You only have half of your knapsack left."

_So much for that_, Percy thought sourly. Stupid Scylla, always fucking shit up for people.

The son of Poseidon finally glanced at the sea water, and he noted that it was a glittering green. Also, the air around them smelled different. Along with the normal fresh and salty scent, there was a hint of something metallic.

"What's that?" he asked, sniffing the air cautiously.

Thalia smirked wickedly. "Smells like a thunderstorm is brewing, doesn't it? It's comforting."

Percy shook his head. "Only you would think so."

He didn't bat an eyelash when saw the daughter of Zeus begin to shred off a few layers of clothing. She had a ribbed tank beneath her jacket and shirt, so it wasn't like she was naked or anything. Although, he wouldn't exactly mind that…

Gods, he felt like such a pervert.

As it turned out, taking off his shirt didn't make him feel like any less of a creep, but it did make the heat more bearable. Thalia exhaled loudly, twisting open the cap on the Pepsi. She tipped it back, taking a long, refreshing sip. It was then that he realized just how dry his throat was. Thalia was incredibly in sync with him, and she passed him the bottle before he even got the chance to ask for it. They exchanged it back and forth between them, chatting about whatever random little things popped into their minds.

"I had another dream about Grover last night," Percy said eventually, and they both sobered up from their previously enjoyable conversation. "I don't remember much about it, but Polly Pocket—"

"Polyphemus," Thalia corrected with a grin.

"Right. So, Grover might be married to Polyphemus quicker than expected. Grover's been unraveling the wedding train, but now his _hubby _gave him thread that cannot be undone."

The demigoddess took another sip from the Pepsi bottle, running a hand through her messy hair. "I need a shower, pronto."

"Can we stay on track, please?"

Thalia looked like she wanted to hit him upside the head, but she sighed. "Sorry," she muttered. "So, Grover's going to be a lovely bride soon, yeah?"

"It looks that way," Percy said, frowning. "We need to get to him. Fast."

"In case you haven't noticed, there isn't much we can do," she pointed out. "We're in a small rowboat, in the middle of the Sea of Monsters. I'm no weaver, but I'm guessing we have about a day to get to Grove."

Even though he didn't like hearing the news, he nodded. "Do you think the others made it out safely?"

Thalia nervously brushed her bangs from her face. The way she wiped at her jean-clad thighs alerted Percy that she was about to fib to him. Ever since the end of their quest the year before, he had begun to study the little things about her. One thing he learned? She was a dreadful liar, which was actually quite silly seeing as her mother had been an actress.

"I'm sure they're fine."

"You're worried," he argued. "When did you last see them?"

"Percy," she said sternly. "Drop it."

Out of respect for her, he obeyed. He hated upsetting Thalia. As tough and confident as she was, even she could be hurt. Before he could stop himself, he blurted out the first change of subject that popped into his head. "Why haven't the gods just killed us already?"

Well…that had certainly been a cheery statement. Really, that had been the perfect thing to say to try and brighten the atmosphere.

Thalia, not taken off-guard at all, shrugged with a contemplative frown. "I don't honestly know. With how many gods despise us, you'd think that they would've already tried to annihilate us…with the exception of Ares and Hades, seeing as they did try. I guess it's because most of the gods are afraid to offend our fathers. Zeus and Poseidon obtain a lot of respect from the other immortals."

Percy scratched the back of his head. "But…why don't they at least place banana peels under our feet or something? If they don't care for us, they could probably get away with bringing us a little bad luck."

Thalia rubbed her temples, and he guessed that she had a headache. He knew that she got them often. "Some are probably trying to figure out what kind of heroes we're going to be, and which one of us will be involved in the prophecy."

"The Great Prophecy," the son of Poseidon chimed. "Oh, darn. I had almost forgotten about that. So, what's the deal with this prophecy anyway?"

"Your guess is as good as mine," Thalia said. "I've told you all that I know before. One of us, when we reach the age of eighteen, will decide the fate of Olympus."

"Next time we see her, we need to tie Annabeth down and beat her until she spills everything," Percy said, smiling at her. His smile grew whenever she rolled her eyes at him.

"I think we should stop following your ideas for a little while," Thalia joked, but part of him really believed that she meant it. It stung him, but he managed to convince himself that he was looking too far into her comment. He was just feeling especially insecure, without their favorite brainy blonde to keep the two of them in-line.

Suddenly, a seagull flew in and landed on their makeshift sail. It dropped something into Thalia's lap, chirping at her almost excitedly. She grinned at the bird, and Percy got the feeling that she was speaking to it somehow. The next thing he knew, the seagull was back into the sky, and the daughter of Zeus was snapping her fingers in front of his face to catch his attention.

"Buttercup says there's land nearby," Thalia answered his unasked question.

"Buttercup?"

The demigoddess looked at him like he was stupid. "The seagull."

"Buttercup the seagull," he repeated, nodding. "Right."

Percy looked in the distance and his eyes made out an island with a mountain in the middle, an array of marble buildings, an abundance of palm trees and tropical plants, and several differing boats filling the harbor. In short, it looked like paradise. As the current began to pull their little rowboat closer to the island, he couldn't find it in himself to complain. It was about time they got the chance to kick back and relax.


	14. Queen Blackbeard's Revenge

**AN: I took a different spin on this, because I don't believe that Circe would receive Thalia like she did Annabeth. Some of this may not hold very much mythological accuracy, but it's mythology. Please try and keep an open mind. My representation of Circe is based off of the few myths about her, so I apologize ahead of time if that is an issue. Didn't have a chance to check for grammatical/spelling errors, so feel free to point any out so I can revise them as soon as possible. Thank you all.**

**Disclaimer: Do not own. **

* * *

**Queen Blackbeard's Revenge**

As soon as they docked, they were greeted by a pretty lady holding a clipboard.

She reminded Thalia of a flight attendant, with the trademark blue business suit, high ponytail, and flawless makeup. Despite her beauty, there was something strangely threatening about her appearance—a tough glint in her brown eyes. She was fairly tall, about the same height as Thalia. That was a surprise, as the daughter of Zeus wasn't use to meeting females that were the same size as her. The attendant looked remarkably young, and yet her dark eyes appeared as if they withheld valuable secrets.

"Welcome to the island of Aeaea!" she said cheerily. "Home of C.C's Spa and Resort."

The lady outstretched her hand, and Thalia accepted the shake generously. The smile she sent the both of them was purely dazzling. In other words, it was a smile that they shouldn't have received from her. They were both walking around with torn, dirty, soaked clothing, and they had just climbed out of an old rowboat. The demigods looked more like vagrants than guests.

"Is this your first time with us?" the attendant questioned, preparing herself to write on her clipboard.

Before either of them could answer, Thalia's stomach growled. Gods, she was starving. She opened the repaired knapsack on Percy's back and noted that the vitamins Eros had given them had survived Scylla's teeth. It wasn't food and it wouldn't fill her up at all, but at least it was something. She screwed open the top, popping a few of them into her mouth. The ones she bit into—vitamins in the shape of the Furies—were tangy against her tongue and her eye twitched from the taste. Thalia hurriedly shoved the bottle into their poorly held-together knapsack, her expression one of disgust.

The lady prevented herself from laughing and began to write. "First—time—at—spa. Let's see." She observed the two of them, biting down on her lower lip in contemplation. Her eyes settled on Thalia. "Hmm. Your skin…it's nearly flawless. _Nearly_. For the young lady, we'll start with a mud wrap to help hydrate and firm your skin. And, of course, a full makeover for the young gentleman."

Thalia didn't know whether or not to take the lady's comments as insults or compliments.

"A makeover?" Percy asked.

His question went unanswered as the attendant continued to fill out the paper in front of her. Eventually, she looked up with another breezy smile. "Right then. I'm sure C.C. will want to speak with you before the luau. Come, please."

There was something off about the place, but the lady seemed fairly genuine. It was probably just Thalia's demigod instincts going haywire. Then again, she and Percy were pretty much used to paradises becoming hellmouths. When they had walked into Crusty's waterbed store the year before, they had never expected that the place would be run by a demented monster. She shrugged. Her stomach was rumbling like crazy, and staying there couldn't hurt.

Naturally, Percy and Thalia followed the attendant.

The daughter of Zeus wasn't a fan of resorts, but she had to admit that the place was stunning. The many fountains, baths, and hot tubs were filled with sparkling blue water, and the entire place was crafted of beautiful white marble. There were terraces climbing up the side of the mountain, with pools on every level, connected by waterfalls and waterslides.

Percy looked upset about something, but Thalia knew better than to ask him what was bothering him.

Tamed animals of all kinds littered the island. A leopard was lounging on a diving board, and Thalia couldn't help but pet him as she walked by. On the poolside, a fox was sleeping on a stack of towels. Women were the only guests present, relaxing in their beach chairs as manicurists in white uniforms painted their nails. Herbal gunk covered their faces, and the demigoddess wrinkled her nose. She wasn't going to let them do that to her.

The attendant led them up stairs that went into the main building, and the sound of a woman's singing rang through the air. Thalia instantly stopped walking, peering up at their destination. Although the language wasn't exactly Ancient Greek, she could understand nearly every word. Her beautiful voice sung of moonlight in the olive groves, the sun rising above almond trees, and magic. Her song was enticing, to say the least. Thalia felt herself drawn to it, and she quickly caught up with Percy and the attendant.

They soon walked into a large room. One of its walls consisted completely of windows, and the opposite wall held an array of mirrors. All of the furniture in the room was purely white and unstained, appearing as if no one had ever used them. On a table, there was a sizable wire animal cage.

"Oh my," a beautiful voice called, and the demigods turned to face the owner.

She was weaving at a large loom, her fingers rapidly moving back and forth with the colorful thread. Thalia didn't pay any attention to the tapestry. How could she? There was something irresistible about the woman. Even though her looks were truly magnificent, the demigoddess had a feeling that her appearance wasn't the only mystical thing about her. If she had to guess, Thalia would say that it was the woman's voice—soft, enticing, and magical, even when she was merely speaking.

Her long black hair, just a shade lighter than Thalia's, was braided with threads of gold, and her silk black dress was crafted of shadowed images that seemed to move across the fabric. The daughter of Zeus wondered how she managed to find shoes to match something like that. Then she noticed that the woman was barefooted.

"You," she spoke again, her eyes immediately locking onto Thalia's. "You remind me of someone." Her tone was difficult to decipher. Eventually, though, she smiled, easing the demigoddess' worries. "I'm glad you have come. My name is C.C."

The creatures in the cage—Thalia guessed they were guinea pigs or something—started squealing.

"I'm Percy," the son of Poseidon introduced himself, smiling. The smile quickly faded whenever C.C eyed him in disapproval.

"Oh, dear. You _do _need my help."

Brushing off the woman's strange reaction, the demigoddess crossed her arms over her chest. "Thalia," she introduced. "So, C.C. Is that short for something?"

C.C smiled coyly, before turning to her assistant. "Hylla, take Thalia on the tour, will you? Show her what we have available. I would suggest styling her hair, and try to find her new clothing. Give her any basic treatments, and no more than that. We will do a full image consultation after I've spoken with this young gentleman."

Thalia shrugged carelessly. She was filthy from recent events. She wouldn't protest a hot bath and new clothes. As long as they didn't put her in any makeup, she was fine. "What about Percy?" she brought herself to ask. "What do you plan to do with him?"

C.C. flashed the boy a sympathetic look. "Percy requires my personal attention. He needs _much _more improvement than you do."

"Right this way, sweetheart," Hylla said, gesturing for Thalia to step in front of her.

When she did, C.C grabbed her assistant by the arm. The woman attempted to whisper, but her voice wasn't nearly as quiet as she thought it was. "Do not let her out of your sight."

Thalia stayed silent, pretending as if she hadn't heard anything. On the inside, she was incredibly suspicious. What could that have meant? Why did C.C view her as some kind of threat?

The daughter of Zeus resisted the urge to look back at Percy as she was led into the gardens of the spa. The garden was full of tons of flowers she had never seen before. Hylla instructed her to sit down on a chair, and she did so reluctantly.

"Hylla?"

"Yes?" the girl responded kindly, circling the seated demigoddess and taking notes on her clipboard.

"You aren't planning to use any makeup…are you?"

Appearing amused, Hylla shook her head. "You don't need it."

"Pardon?"

"You don't need it," Hylla repeated, and Thalia didn't bother to comment afterwards. "Your eyebrows are in need of waxing and then we are going to attempt to do something with your hair. First, of course, you'll have a bath."

After the attendant led her to the bathhouse, Thalia felt something nagging at her. She wasn't sure what it was, but suddenly nothing felt right. Brushing of the feeling, she eyed the body of water in front of her.

"Hot spring," Hylla provided with a smile. "Go on. It's incredibly soothing."

Thalia tossed off her tank top, exhaling in relief as the other girl turned away. When she had completely disrobed, she sank into the water. She couldn't help the soft sigh that spilled from her mouth. Hylla certainly had not been joking. It had to be one of the greatest things ever.

The attendant pointed to the numerous bottles of shampoo, conditioner, soap, and skin moisturizers. "Use whatever you care to. We like to leave the actual washing to our guests."

Thalia nodded, reaching for a random bottle of shampoo. When she didn't hear the other girl leave, she glanced up curiously. But, then she remembered Circe's words. _Do not let her out of your sight_.

Dwelling on her suspicion, the demigoddess quickly finished her bath. Hylla kindly provided her with a towel. Thalia made sure the attendant turned around before she closed her eyes. Concentrating on the air, like she had practiced doing while living with her aunt, she willed the winds to dry her—for the most part. She didn't want Hylla to get too suspicious, after all. Thalia made sure to leave her hair slightly damp. The daughter of Zeus wrapped the towel around her body, letting the lady know that she was finished.

"Come on," Hylla said with a smile, outstretching a hand for the younger girl to take. "I'm taking you to my sister and some other attendants."

Before she knew what was going on, she found herself in yet another room surrounded in mirrors. Three ladies, one that resembled Hylla slightly—obviously, the sister that she had mentioned—sat her down in a chair. The attendants were everywhere at once, applying wax to her eyebrows, and rubbing some moisturizing cream all over her face.

Hylla stood back and watched as one of the attendants—her sister—placed strips along the warm wax. Thalia didn't even flinch whenever the strips were yanked off of her brows, causing more than one of the attendants to raise their brows.

"Used to getting this done?" Hylla asked curiously, scribbling something on her clipboard.

The demigoddess shrugged. "Been through worse."

It took quicker than she had expected. The three ladies went to work with her hair, styling it several different ways before getting it to do what they wanted. Thalia felt awkward in the chair, sitting in nothing but a towel as they tugged and did odd things with her hair. Eventually, it came to an end, and Hylla was shoving a handful of clothes into her arms.

Thalia frowned at the toga in her hands. She looked up at Hylla, hope filling her expression. "Don't you have anything easier to fight and travel in? I don't know—maybe a tunic and some armor or something?"

"Fight?" the attendant repeated, immediately on edge. "Why would you need to fight?"

The daughter of Zeus paled a little, finally realizing her mistake. These people weren't supposed to know she was a demigoddess. What could she say now to possibly clear things up? C.C. was already wary about her presence, and said that Thalia reminded her of someone.

"I don't like to be taken off guard," the half-blood responded. "I like to be ready for anything. As nice as you guys are, there will always be danger somewhere."

Hylla nodded slowly, and it was quite obvious that she didn't trust in Thalia's reasoning. Even though she clearly did not want to, the attendant relented. "Very well," she said, before whispering quietly to a fellow attendant. "Reyna will fetch you a woman's tunic, and some light armor. I'm sure we have some lying around here."

Wait…why would they have armor? Why in Hades would they have togas and tunics?

She voiced her questions, and got strange looks in response to them.

Hylla answered them anyway. "Plenty of sea farers find their way onto this island, wearing all sorts of things. Don't worry, though, these clothes come from C.C. herself. "

"_Only the best for our guests!_" a blonde attendant chirped, apparently reciting some kind of slogan for the spa.

"Right," Thalia said, unconvinced, but trying to shake off her suspicions. "Hold up. What did you say this island was called again?"

"Aeaea," one of the other attendants replied happily, still glancing at the demigoddess' hair.

Thalia wanted to swat her insistent hands away and tell her to play with her own hair, but she successfully kept herself from making a scene. Instead, her mind was focused on one thing: Aeaea. She had heard it somewhere before, that much she was sure of. She didn't know why it hadn't clicked in her mind before, but she knew that it had something to do with mythology. Thalia vaguely recalled it from her studies—the very little studying that she did—but she did not remember the actual myth she had learned it from.

Reyna hurried back into the room, carrying the new clothing. She quickly surrendered it to Hylla, who then held them up for Thalia's inspection. With a careless expression on her face, the daughter of Zeus shrugged.

"We'll give you some privacy to dress," the blonde attendant, Iole (according to her nametag), left the room with Reyna and the third attendant.

As expected, Hylla stayed in the room with her, but turned to provide her with a small amount of privacy.

Feeling slightly frustrated by the fact that no one seemed to trust her at all on the island, Thalia began to dress, pulling on her undergarments before slipping into the tunic. It was a snowy white and barely outlined in the color gold. It went roughly to her knees, and felt a little itchy. Resisting the urge to scratch, Thalia slipped on the ankle-high gladiator sandals she had been given, realizing that they seemed to be exact replica of those from ancient times. Then again, everything about the wardrobe was pretty archaic.

With practiced hands, she continued clothing herself. The armor was old, even though Hylla had promised that it was new. Of course, it did look as if it had been repaired at least. Suddenly, Thalia felt awkward surrounded by beautiful women while she was dressed like the traditional demigod. She just didn't like makeup on her face, and she couldn't fight in a freaking dress.

Hylla looked over her thoughtfully, before setting with a smile. "You look…good in the armor. That's certainly a first. All of the other guests here couldn't wear it. It…suits you, and well at that." Unable to hide her blush, Thalia simply nodded to acknowledge the compliment. Hylla grabbed onto her hand, excitedly saying, "Now, on to the tour!"

Thalia was taken to the library, the entertainment room, the ball room (which was filled with chicks, by the way), the arcade, the yoga center, and her all-time favorite was the museum. Hylla had laughed at her whenever she said that it was "full of cool shit".

Eventually, though, the daughter of Zeus grew a little worried. She hadn't seen Percy in a while. She wanted to check up on him and see if he was stuffed in a dress or something. There was definitely something that Thalia didn't trust about C.C., and she wouldn't be surprised if the woman tried to dress the son of Poseidon up like some kind of Barbie doll.

As Thalia entered the very first room again, she called out, "C.C?"

She heard the woman cursing under her breath, and a bunch of things moving around before the demigoddess could clearly see the resort owner. As soon as C.C. saw her, her eyes widened at the sight of her outfit. Unsettled by the woman's reaction to her, Thalia glanced around the room warily.

"Where did Percy go?"

After she finished asking her question, the damn rodents started squealing in their cage.

The look of shock in C.C's eyes vanished, and she gave an easy smile. "He is receiving one of our special treatments, dear."

"He doesn't need to get any kind of makeover," the demigoddess stated bluntly, arching her eyebrow high.

C.C sighed, trying to mask her irritation with another smile. Thalia saw right through her. The daughter of Zeus made a habit of irritating people, and she could always recognize whenever she succeeded. "Well," she said, her voice slightly tense, "we give all men full makeovers. It's how I run things. Now…how did you like your tour?"

Thalia shrugged, still narrowing her eyes at the woman. "It was cool," she replied easily. "Heard you get all kinds of visitors. That true?"

C.C stood unaffected. "Naturally. This _is _an island, dear."

"An island, with a bunch of underage female assistants in suits, and plenty of young bikini-wearing girls..."

"Where are you going with this?"

Thalia smirked. "This doesn't happen to be Lesbos, does it?"

C.C either didn't get her jibe, or she was too busy plotting to notice. The woman circled her, eyeing her up and down, critiquing every part of her. "Believe it or not, we're not too different, you and me."

"How do you figure that?" Thalia asked, getting slightly defensive. She didn't like when people analyzed her like that, as if she were some kind of fucking lab rat.

"We are both independent, and we both admire greatness. We see the ugly in people, the cruel, and the nasty. Neither of us deserves to be overshadowed by men, and yet we are."

The demigoddess scoffed. "Speak for yourself, lady."

C.C ignored her, creeping up behind her and softly tucking a strand of Thalia's hair behind her ear. What was she, some sort of pedophile? Thalia wasn't even sixteen yet. "I could give you power, even more than you've ever dreamt of. You'll be immortal."

The daughter of Zeus fidgeted, not at all liking what the woman was doing. Her words began to sink in her brain, making her greatest flaw come out to play. It was as if she was twelve years old again, meeting Zoë Nightshade. The only difference was that the lieutenant hadn't been as…persuasive. Could she really turn down immortality once more? The idea was certainly tempting her, as it always had. It was nearly every demigod's dream to become eternal.

C.C. continued to prattle on, and Thalia couldn't help but hear every word she uttered. "You could stay here with me. Train with me, protect me, serve me…like your brother failed to do."

"My brother?"

C.C. chuckled, placing a hand on Thalia's armor-clad shoulder. "Whose clothes did you think you were wearing?"

Thalia swallowed thickly. Well, that certainly explained why C.C had been giving her such strange looks, and why she had instructed Hylla to keep a very close eye on her. Few people in the Greek world were on good terms with her brother Heracles, and this wasn't the first time that Thalia had run into someone that hated him. She was sure that it wouldn't be her last.

She had to keep herself relatively calm, because, gods, she was wearing _Heracles' _armor, and C.C was being such an obsessive creep.

"You've met Heracles?" she brought herself to ask, trying to figure out just who this woman was.

"Met him?" C.C. asked, scoffing. "The bastard tricked me, just as Odysseus had. Do not fret, dear. I do not hold many grudges against you. You may be the only person to ever succeed in putting on his armor, but I am sure that you are nothing like him. Now, about my offer—"

"You're right," Thalia cut her off, determination stringing her lips tighter. "I'm not like him, so I'm going to turn down your offer."

C.C. looked surprised. "_Excuse me_?"

"You heard me," the demigoddess spat. "I don't need anything from you. I'm not about to have something handed to me by some—"

"Sorceress?" C.C. finished, sneering. "You do not quite realize what power you are tampering with, Daughter of Zeus. I can do numerous things, and I can bend _anyone _to my will."

"And yet you couldn't make Heracles and Odysseus stay?" Thalia challenged, smirking as the woman clenched her fists tightly. Gods, she loved to make others livid. She crossed her arms over her chest defiantly. "We both know that you can't force me to stay, either."

"Sorcery is the only true power for women," C.C argued. "If you do not join with me, you shall never know true power."

"I don't know," Thalia stated with mock uncertainty. "Last time I checked, I did have some power."

"I am a great sorceress, Daughter of Hecate, and transformer—"

"Transformer?" Thalia asked in disbelief. "Oh, come on. No fucking way. I'm calling bullshit. You don't even look like a robot." Before C.C. could snap at her, the demigoddess gasped. "Wait…you're a sorceress, you live on an island, you have been left by men, and you want to keep me trapped here with you. You are Calypso, aren't you?"

C.C. glowered. "No!" she yelled. "Well, of course, it is an honor to be mistaken as her, really, but no! I take my previous comment back. I am beginning to see a bit of your brother's traits in you."

Thalia scratched the back of her neck. "Sorry," she apologized, not meaning it at all.

"I am Circe, mistress of—"

Without warning, Thalia summoned lightning from the skies and collected it in her palm, sending Circe a careless glare. "Listen, I'm going to be honest with you. I don't think that I've ever heard of you. Let's cut the introductions a bit short, shall we?"

The demigoddess cried out, manipulating the lightning to sail at the sorceress. It would have hit the woman if Circe hadn't created a magical barrier just in time.

"Attacking me would not be a wise idea, Thalia," Circe warned. "I am seconds away from turning you into a bloody newt!"

The daughter of Zeus was about to insult her back, but then she actually listened to what she was saying. "You'll turn me into an animal?" The threat had jogged her memory of a story that she had long forgotten. It all came to her at once, and she quickly glanced to the cage. "You turned him into a guinea pig."

"Smart girl," Circe mocked, clapping slowly. "I was starting to think that you would never catch on. You know, it is a true shame that you could not take after your brother Perseus. Now, that was a man that actually had some common sense."

"Turn him back."

"I am afraid that is not an option."

"And that wasn't a fucking question!" Thalia shouted, her eyes narrowing as she observed each and every creature in the cage. She was desperately trying to find some feature that reminded her of Percy, but they all looked the same. Well, one appeared less mean that the others.

"That is it, Daughter of Zeus! I cannot stand this disrespect any longer!" the sorceress screamed, breaking her own force field and holding her hands out in front of her. "Do not say that I did not give you a chance."

Blue fire shot from her fingertips, winding like serpents around Thalia's form. The guinea pigs were now screaming like crazy, some even throwing themselves against the sides of their cage. The daughter of Zeus waited for something to happen to her, for her to be changed…but it never happened.

She opened her eyes, ignoring Circe's snort of disbelief, and peered down at herself. Nothing seemed out of the order at all. That was strange. Why hadn't the magic affected her? She knew that Odysseus had been immune to it because he had eaten something Hermes had given him, but she didn't recall eating anything—

Thalia paused, feeling like slapping herself in the forehead. She quickly snatched the chewable vitamins from the repaired bag on her back, unscrewing the top.

Circe growled, cursing in Ancient Greek. "Damn Hermes and his little tricks."

Not thinking of any potential consequences, the daughter of Zeus rushed over to the cage and opened the top of it. Circe and her attendants rushed forward, as if to prevent her from going through with it, but the demigoddess had already poured all of the vitamins inside.

Within moments, the entire cage was torn apart as the guinea pigs turned back into seven males, Percy being one of them. Thalia laughed, reaching down to help him to his feet, adding in a few fake squeals for her own amusement.

"No!" Circe wailed. "You do not know the price of what you have done. Those men are the worst!"

The largest man stood, his ratty hair and dark twisted beard matching his rotting teeth, gritted his teeth in anger. He was dressed like the stereotypical pirate, with a sword, pistol and all. The rest of the men seemed to be his followers—his crew.

"Arghhh!" the huge man shouted, drawing his sword and waving it in the air.

Thalia, out of annoyance, grabbed a nearby old-fashioned candleholder and knocked him over the head with it. Already disoriented and confused, he passed out on the ground. His men yelled protests, making their way towards her. Unable to help herself, and ignoring any argument from Percy, Thalia kicked one in the groin and punched another across the face. Eventually, they got the hint and backed further away from her.

The daughter of Zeus glanced to Circe snidely. "They aren't so bad."

Before the sorceress or her attendants could stop them, the demigods ran for the door. Thankfully, it wasn't locked, and they didn't stop running until they reached the dock.

"Thalia?" Percy asked nervously as they hurriedly searched for their rowboat. She hummed in response, provoking him to continue. "I'm pretty sure you just beat Blackbeard over the head with a candleholder."

"Blackbeard?" she repeated. "That was him? I mean, obviously, I know that he _had _a black beard, but so does my dad and he isn't a pirate—"

"Never mind that!" the son of Poseidon urged, glancing behind him and realizing that Blackbeard was now fully conscious and ruining Circe's beloved spa. "We have to get out of here, and fast." His eyes searched the different ships and planes, before they settled on one. He pointed to a huge pirate ship. "That one."

When she began to protest, he tossed her over his shoulder and ran towards the three-mast ship, hearing Blackbeard and his men begin to yell at them. He shouted strange pirate terms at them as they boarded his vessel.

Thalia irritably kneed Percy in the stomach and climbed off of his shoulder, making sure to slug him. Again focusing on the matter at hand, she asked, "Will it take very long to get it going? I can try and fend off the pirates, but they have guns."

Percy closed his eyes, and she began to think that he was absolutely out of his mind. Eventually, after long moments of silence, he called out, "Mizzenmast!"

Thalia started to laugh, but it was abruptly cut off whenever she was forced to hit the floor. Several cables slashed around above them, wrapping around specific poles. She didn't know how her friend was doing it, but she was completely sure that he was pulling it off. It was only seconds before the _Queen Anne's Revenge _was pulling away from the dock, and sailing off into the Sea of Monsters.

Thalia stood up again, but had to duck once more when an object went flying for her face. After it managed to bounce off of her head, she picked it up. It was the same candleholder from earlier. Boy, Blackbeard knew how to get his payback, didn't he?


End file.
